Maid for Thirteen: A BroCon Fan Fiction
by DreamHost
Summary: When Melissa Tsukiyama replied to a news ad & accepted the job as a maid, she didn't expect to be working for 13 brothers with VERY different personalities, their stepsister, & a squirrel. What will the brothers do, now that they have a non-blood/non-legal related female living with them? *Note: this story takes place soon after the last episode where Ema & Yuusuke graduate*
1. Chapter 1: Introductions

**Intro:**

 **Welcome to my take on the BroCon Fandom! For information on my fan-fictions and my main OC, please visit my profile.**

 **I, myself, have not read the visual novel of "Brothers Conflict." But through extensive (and I do mean _extensive_ ) research, I have added elements from it to add credibility to my fan-fiction. (Ex: Iori's late girlfriend, Fuyuka.)**

 **I have a poll for you to vote which Asahina brother you'd like to see my OC get together with. As the story progresses, you'll witness several instances where Melissa interacts with the different brothers. Please vote for your favorites!**

 ***Note from Oct. 14, 2015* Unlike my usual writing style, I have added the dates and time of day to the beginning and certain areas of the chapters so that things may be a bit more clear. Also,** **I have mentioned the Valentine OVA in Chapter 13, and may use like elements in future chapters.**

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 **Fan Fiction Details:**

 **Melissa's name is pronounced "Meh-lee-sa" in this story because it's how I imagine that they'd pronounce her name, but Tsubaki over-exaggerates the pronunciation.**

 **This story takes place soon after the end of the anime and a year before the 2nd season of the visual novel. All characters (excluding OC) have their Season 2 appearances from the visual novel.**

 ***Note from Nov. 5, 2015* At the beginning of each chapter, I'm posting information that I'm basing each character off of (the original characters' info is taken from my research on the internet).**

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 **Character Info: Masaomi Asahina**

 **\- Age: 32 (33 after chapter nine)**

 **\- Birthday: April 24th**

 **\- Height: 5'10 (177.8 cm)**

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Chapter 1: Introductions

*Sunday morning, April 6th, 2014*

Nervous; it was the only emotion I could feel in my numbed body as the taxi pulled away from the curb, leaving me standing in front of a large house. I grip the handle of my suitcase, causing my knuckles to turn a pale white as a soft, spring wind rustles through my hair and flutters my skirt. I close my eyes and take a slow, deep breath; everything would be okay.

After sending in an employment application to someone under the name of Masaomi Asahina, I had promptly received a letter of confirmation in the mail. It had enclosed the date, time, address, and floor level that we would meet at, matters on my payment and boarding, as well as instructing me to bring no more than the essentials. I personally felt essentials could be considered as a wide-range term, so I packed as much as would fit into my small, blue suitcase.

Yanking on the handle, I haul the heavy luggage through the entrance arch, down the path, and towards the doors. My weak arms tremble slightly as butterflies dance in my stomach from every step I take. As I remove my high-heeled boots, I scan the letter in my head for the millionth time today. What if I pressed the wrong elevator button and got lost? This place was big enough that I could easily lose my way and become as late as ever.

Taking another deep breath, I enter the elevator and press the button to the fifth floor. My ride up is quiet - except for the sound of my thumping heart. I feel my stomach drop as the elevator comes to a stop and the doors open wide to reveal a sight which I had not been anticipating. Climbing the few steps that lead toward a lounge-like balcony, I peer down over the extremely tall, metal railing. What a way for me to make a first impression; my chin barely reached over the top of the banister when I _was_ standing on tip-toe.

What I see beneath me causes me to catch my breath. A large group of men, two women, and a young boy sit on a plush, red couch, talking amiably amongst themselves. I gulp; is this place even realistic? One of the men - tall, brunette, and kind-looking - stands and looks up at me as our eyes meet.

"Ah! Ms. Tsukiyama I presume?"

I jump at the sound of my name. "H-h-hai!" I stammer nervously as my hand leaves my suitcase. It falls to the ground, and I scramble to upright it. When I next look at the man, I see that he is smiling encouragingly up at me.

"Please, come join us down here." He motions towards the staircase on my right. I quickly nod in assent as I hurriedly tug at my suitcase. As though the struggle to pull the heavy object down the stairs wasn't enough, my white, stockinged feet slip on one of the steps and I trip the rest of the way down as my suitcase lands with a loud crash. I remain seated on the ground, rubbing my scraped knee.

"Ow" I moan, wincing. I knew for a fact that it would leave a noticeable scar. Suddenly remembering my circumstances, my eyes find the couch only to see that all who had been sitting are now standing and looking at me with various looks of concern on their faces.

"Are you okay, miss?" The man from before is at my side in an instant. He examines my knee as his eyes fill with worry. Flushing out of embarrassment and the realization at his close and familiar proximity, I nod repeatedly.

"Y-y-yes. I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused." Doing my best to stand, I frantically look around for the object which had caused me so much trouble. "I-I-I seem to have misplaced…"

"No need to worry, Miss Tsu-ki-ya-ma." I whip my head around only to be met by a pair of violet eyes and pale lips that are only inches away from my own. I let out a squeak of surprise.

"Hey now, don't be scared. I have your suitcase right here." He affectionately pats me on the head. A man with black hair and glasses grabs the back of the former's jacket collar, pulling him away from me.

"Azu!" Glasses' victim protests with a pout.

"Tsubaki, you're nervousing her" the one called Azu scolds. He turns to face me with an apologetic smile. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Azusa Asahina, and this is my brother - Tsubaki Asahina."

I hastily bow in greeting. "It's nice to meet you, I-I-I'm..." Looking up, I become flustered once again at the sight of so many people and forget my original plan to introduce myself. One of the two women steps forward, and the movement catches my roaming eyes. As my gaze meets hers, I can easily read the curiosity in her face.

"So, you're the lady of the house?" I twist the skirt of my dress in sweaty, nervous hands as I look anxiously up at her. Her eyes widen considerably in obvious surprise, her cheeks pink, and she vigorously shakes her head.

"Uh, no. My name is Ema Hinata. I am their stepsister." My mouth forms into a silent 'oh' as comprehension slowly dawns on my flustered mind. I bow again.

"It's very nice to meet you. Please forgive my mistake!" I rise only to see that she is also bowing.

"It's nice to meet you too!" As she straightens, a gray squirrel runs down her arm and looks up at me with large, blue eyes. I feel my own brown eyes soften as a gentle smile crosses my lips.

"What a sweet little creature! May I?"

Ema hands the squirrel to me, and I lovingly stroke its back. My smile only widens as I hear a soft purring and realize that the noise is a sound of contentment coming from the little animal.

"His name is Juli" Ema says softly, smiling down at the furry animal in my arms. I hear someone clear their throat and am suddenly reminded where I am and why I am there. Giving myself a mentally whipping and simultaneously wincing in mental pain, I turn to face the tall, brunette man who had shown such concern for me when I had fallen.

"I apologize for my forgetful behaviour!" I say, bending low at the waist for what feels like the thousandth time. I look up to see his kind eyes smiling down at me.

"There is no need for apology" he says gently. "I am glad to see that you arrived here safely, but I do apologize for your fall; one of us should have come to help you with your luggage."

I shake my head violently in objection . "Oh no! It's fine, really." I find the floor as I absently brush the hair out of my face.

"I believe I should introduce everyone" the man says, easing my nervous. "You see, it's quite unusual to have all of us gathered together" he adds as we walk towards the large couch.

"Would you care to sit down?" He asks, gesturing to the center of the furniture.

"Oh, um, sure" I murmur, slowly sitting down in a daze. The white-haired man named Tsubaki takes a seat on my left as his brother Azusa sits down on my right. To the far left of me is the tall brunette as Ema and the rest of the group fill in the empty spaces.

"Allow me to introduce myself" begins the man who I have now labeled as the ring leader. "I am Masaomi Asahina, the eldest brother."

Gesturing to an equally tall man with honey-colored hair and thin-rimmed spectacles, he says, "That would be Ukyo, the second brother."

"Then" he says, "there's Kaname, the third brother." A man with blonde, flipped out hair smiles suggestively at me.

"Welcome, Little One" he says in a smooth flirty voice. I blush at his boldness; we've only just met!

"After Kaname is Hikaru, the fourth brother" Masaomi continues, nodding his head towards to a red-headed woman seated across from him. I stare at her - or him - in disbelief. I had thought that he was a she, but apparently there really was only one woman in the house: Ema.

"Over there is Natsume" the eldest says, gesturing to a man with orange hair. "He, Tsubaki, and Azusa are triplets. The oldest starting with Tsubaki and the youngest ending with Natsume."

"Azu and I are identical twins!" Tsubaki adds, grinning widely.

I nod in bewilderment as I fight to keep a vague, polite smile on my face. An "I see" is all that comes out of my mouth.

"Would you like me to get you some water? You appear overwhelmed, as you rightly should" A soft voice says as the gentle purr of his voice brushes lightly against my ear. I tense at the sensation of his breath on my cheek. _Creepy!_ I turn to look at the own of the voice, and my eyes are met by yet another pair of violet eyes. But this man has a gentle look about him with pale, ash brown hair and a lazy smile on his lips.

"That would be Louis, the eighth brother" Masaomi clarifies for me as I send him a startled look. Louis smiles gently at me, and I feel my taut nerves begin to relax.

Gesturing to a man with short black hair, Masaomi says "over there is Subaru, the ninth son" and to a man with longer black hair who looks about my age, "and that's Iori, the tenth."

"Then there's Yuusuke, the eleventh" he nods towards a younger man with red hair who appears to be sulking. "And Fuuto the twelfth" gesturing to a young man with messy light brown hair who sends me a cold, devilish smirk.

"Last is Wataru, the thirteenth and final brother."

"I don't like being last!" Wataru, the young boy who I had noticed previously, shouts as tears form in his eyes. Ema reaches over and wipes his tears away while handing him a stuffed animal toy which she appeared to have magically pulled out from behind the couch. The boy stops crying and a warm smile finds it way onto his now sunny face. I blink, astonished at how easily he was taken care of. _Amazing_.

"Ms. Tsukiyama, would you care to introduce yourself?" Masaomi asks, his voice pulling me back to the present.

"Yes! Sorry. My name is Melissa Tsukiyama; age nineteen. I graduated high school last year and I would like to express my deep appreciation for allowing me this job!" A collective murmur rumbles through the room, and I feel my cheeks heat.

"Did I say something wrong?" I ask nervously, glancing around at all the shocked faces.

Masaomi shakes his head. "Not at all. I only failed to mention your reason for coming when I called everyone together."

"Eh?! You mean we're _not_ getting another sister?!" Tsubaki and Wataru ask, their voices sounding distraught.

"Sister?!" I echo, my heart rate increasing.

"I recently put an advertisement in the newspaper for a maid, and Ms. Tsukiyama was kind enough to answer quite promptly to it." I quickly nod my head in affirmation to this revelation.

"I look forward to working for you!" I add, clasping my hands to my chest. Tsubaki wraps an arm around my shoulder.

"Having her as a maid could be fun" he says mischievously, inching his face closer to mine. "Could we maybe dress her up in a cute maid costume?"

I look at him, startled by the very idea. "What?!"

"Tsubaki! Can't you see you're making the poor girl nervous again?" Azusa cuts in sharply, pushing his brother away from me. Tsubaki pouts at his brother, but keeps his distance from me just the same.

"This woman is here strictly on business" the tall, honey blonde says, his voice bland and emotionless. _Kaname was it? Or was it Ukyo? Perhaps it was Louis._ Whatever his name was, I nod my head in agreement to his statement as I struggle to match names to faces.

"If you would follow me, I will show you to your room." He takes the handle of my suitcase and lifts it with ease as he heads up the stairs. Suddenly realizing that I am being left behind, I jump off the couch and follow quickly after him.

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 **Favorite, follow, and please review! I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on it :)**

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


	2. Chapter 2: More Than Expected

**Character Info: Ukyo Asahina**

 **Age: 30**

 **Birthday: December 3rd**

 **Height: 6'0 (182.88 cm)**

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Chapter 2: More Than Expected

*Sunday morning, April 6th, 2014*

"She is _quite_ the interesting creature," Kaname drawls, closing his eyes with a smile as he leans back into the plush cushions. "However, it _was_ a bit of a shock to discover that she would be our new maid."

"Ukyo can't be too happy about that" Hikaru adds in a sing-song voice as he smiles mischievously. "I do have a feeling that things will become much more energetic around here with this new girl around, though. She said that she's nineteen, correct? My, my; just a year younger than our own Iori. What a coincidence!" Hikaru looks over at Iori, who ignores his cross-dressing brother's remarks and instead looks out the window with a blank expression.

"Then again, Yuusuke is almost age appropriate for her, and Fuuto's not much farther behind." Hikaru continues, his voice quickening in excitement. Yuusuke glares at him.

"I think she seems nice" Ema remarks softly; Juli makes a squeaking sound of agreement.

"What, dear brother, inspired you to hire a maid?" Hikaru asks, directing his question to Masaomi, who smiles with vague triumph in his eyes.

"Ema needs to focus on her grades in college, so she does not have the time to be doing housework" Masaomi says. "Also, Ukyo's become quite busy and I've noticed that he's been tired lately. Having Ms. Tsukiyama around to help with household duties will be a good thing for all of us."

"She's settled in her room." Ukyo walks down the stairs with furrowed brows.

"Is something the matter?" Hikaru asks, looking up at him with a knowing smirk.

"Why did you hire a maid? We were doing just fine without!" Ukyo explodes, slamming a fist into the couch.

"You need to rest and stop over-working yourself" Masaomi answers calmly. The lawyer brother sighs in resignation. When it came to the doctor, there really was no room for argument.

Wataru walks up to Masaomi and tugs on his sleeve. "Can she still be my sister?" He asks with wide, hopeful eyes. "I want to play with her!"

"I do too!" Tsubaki chimes in. Masaomi shakes his head as Ukyo verbalizes the unspoken response.

"She is not a playmate, she is here to work for us." He then leaves the family room and heads off to his own bedroom.

"I guess I'll be going then" Natsume says as he stands. Within minutes, the room is empty except for one solitary brother. Said man remains seated on the couch with an unreadable expression in his eyes and his hands clasped in ponderization.

* * *

I sigh as I seat myself on the soft, feather mattress. Gazing out the window at the large tree in the front, I stare at my reflection in the glass. I really did it; I got the job. But was I really ready to work for such a large household, made up of mostly men no less? Turning back to the open suitcase lying on the floor, I unpack what I had brought.

Just as I finish putting the last shirt into one of the dresser drawers, I hear a soft knock at the door. Rising quickly, I open the door to be greeted by Ema's warm, smiling face.

"I brought a map of the house for you" she says, handing it to me. "The brothers created it for me when I first got here, though I added your room since you're new to the household."

"Thank you" I murmur gratefully, taking the make-shift map from her. She remains standing in front of me.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" I ask.

"I was also wondering if you needed any help unpacking your things" she says. I shake my head.

"I didn't bring much. I had been told not to bring anything but the essentials." Ema nods understandingly.

"That's just like Masaomi. You see, he's a doctor, so he strives to do his best when caring for people." As she walks away, I move to close the door when the man who appeared to be around my age is suddenly standing in front me with a bouquet of flowers.

"These are for you" he says softly, bending down to my short stature and placing them gently into my hands. I blush as I accept them.

"How lovely! They're Anthuriums, correct?"

He nods. "Their meaning is…"

"Hospitality." Our voices join as one, and my gaze falls back down at the flowers in embarrassment.

"You speak the language of flowers?" His voice is filled with such hope and interest that I find myself looking back up at him as I nod in response.

"Hai; I took some miscellaneous courses in college last year before I decided to come work here. Floral Artistry was one of them" I ramble. His face is extremely thoughtful, and I can't help but imagine how he must look in a classroom when learning.

"I believe I may have seen you there. Second class of the day?" He suddenly says. Surprised, I nod with a smile.

"Yes; Mr. Suzuki was an amazing teacher."

"Agreed." We smile at each other, and I find myself being drawn in his hazel eyes; they were truly beautiful. Pulling out of my trance, I blink rapidly as I shake my head a bit to clear it. What kind of girl gets lost in her thoughts in front of a man she's just met?!

"Thank you so much for the lovely bouquet" I say, doing my best to cover up the awkward situation. His face flushes a bit as his eyes find the floor.

"You're welcome. I hope you feel welcome here." He bows, then leaves. I gaze down the hall after him, smiling at his retreating figure.

Closing the door, I lean against it. "Though there are quite a bit more people than I had expected, I think I may enjoy my stay here after all" I say to myself, smiling a bit. Removing the tight, black blazer I had been wearing, I begin to examine and memorize the map which Ema had kindly brought to me.

* * *

As he walked away from Ms. Tsukiyama's room, Iori's heart continues to beat rapidly for a reason which was still a bit foreign to him. He hadn't felt like this since he'd first laid eyes on Ema, except this current feeling was much more intense.

Fuyuka's face flickers in across his mind, and he shakes his head to clear the image away. Though Ema had prevented him from doing anything drastic, he wasn't surprised that he still held onto the pain of her death. _How was it that Ms. Tsukiyama resembled Fuyuka so well?_

Finding himself on the fifth level, Iori walks down the stairs and immediately spots a lonely figure sitting on the living room couch. Though loathe to disturb what appeared to be deep thinking, Iori spoke up.

"Azusa?"

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 **Let me know what you think! Please review :)**


	3. Chapter 3: Awkward Encounters

**Character Info: Kaname Asahina**

 **Age: 29 (30 after chapter twenty-one)**

 **Birthday: May 28th**

 **Height: 6'1 (185.42 cm)**

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Chapter 3: Awkward Encounters

*Sunday late morning, April 6th, 2014*

At the sound of his name, Azusa's head jerks up as reality comes crashing down on him like a load of bricks. "Iori?" He says, startled. Iori only stares back at him with emotionless eyes before shrugging and backtracking to the elevator. Sighing, Azusa slumps into the couch and stretches his lengthy legs out on the carpeted floor.

"Eh? Azu?" Tsubaki walks down the stairs to see his brother laid out on the couch, looking tired. Compassion fills his eyes as he walks over to his twin and takes a seat next to him. Placing a hand on Azusa's thigh, the two share in an unspoken conversation.

"You've been thinking about Melissa, haven't you?" Tsubaki finally says, his voice serious, yet somehow remaining playful.

"There's no use denying it when it comes to you" Azusa remarks, irony filling his voice.

"Of course not."

"I'm sure I'm not alone in this."

Tsubaki chuckles. "Hai. You know, she's not related to us at all. Also, she's got some great looks and seems to have a nice personality as well."

A vague smile crosses Azusa's lips. "I'm not surprised that you can see her for both looks and personality" he says. "You've always been one to notice _all_ aspects of a woman."

With a soft grunt, Tsubaki rises off the couch and walks towards the staircase. Pausing with a foot on the first step, he looks over his shoulder at his twin with a mischievous smirk on his lips.

"You know Azu," he begins, "I won't lose to you." With a final wave and a playful wink, he quickly ascends the stairs and departs through the elevator doors.

A slow smile creeps across Azusa's face. Sure, all of the Asahina brothers had been love rivals when Ema had entered their family. She had unintentionally been the cause of multiple conflicts, but now there was a new girl. This one wasn't legally or blood related to to any of them, which Azusa felt would bring a fight destined to be more intense than the one for Ema had been. Groaning softly in much the same manner as his twin, Azusa stands up as he too climbs the stairs to the elevators and presses the button for the fourth level.

* * *

In an unused and unrented room on the second floor, Hikaru sits at a desk with a self-satisfied smirk on his lips. In front of him is an open laptop with a chart labeled "Brothers Conflict: Maid Edition". It was a small invention of his own, but it also brought him an inordinately large amount of pleasure into his life.

He types something down before saving the document and closing the lid. He pulls his long auburn hair into a loose ponytail at his neck as the curls teasingly cascade down his back. After taking off the burgundy dress, black jacket, and fishnet tights which he had been wearing previously, Hikaru puts on a blue shirt, brown jacket, and cheetah print blue jeans and scarf.

As he pulls out a makeup-removing toilette and begins wiping his face, a soft knock on the door causes him to pause as his lips curve just the slightest bit upwards. After he finishes cleaning his face, he leisurely walks over the door and opens it to find a timid young lady standing before him. With a smirk, he looks down at her to meet her soft brown eyes.

"Melissa, what a surprise."

* * *

I had been wandering around the house, trying my best to accustom myself to its grandeur. Stopping at a door which I had thought was Masaomi's, I knocked but was surprised when a very beautiful, handsome man answered the door instead of my employer.

"Melissa, what a surprise" he says, smiling down at me. My cheeks burn red; this man was definitely _not_ Masaomi. However, I soon find that I cannot keep myself from staring into this man's beautiful, muted green eyes that sparkle with amusement back at me.

"I-I-I seem to have lost my way. I'm looking for Mr. Masaomi Asahina's room, and…" My voice trails off as I realize I don't know anything about this man. "Uh, I don't believe we've met. Would you mind telling me your name?"

Ignoring my question, the man bends down to my level. He looks me directly in the eyes and places a hand under my chin as he tilts my head up slightly.

"Eh? Looking for Masaomi's room? Does the little maid already have business with her master?" He winks suggestively, and I blush further.

"Ah, no. That's not at all what I meant." I look away, embarrassed. He chuckles as his eyes narrow a bit. In a daze, my hand finds its way to my collarbone as my fingers fumble aimlessly at the black bow which is tied there. It was a terribly nervous habit of mine, but there really wasn't any way for me to get rid of it, so my hand remained.

"Would you mind showing me the way?" I ask timidly.

"Hm, I don't know. Maybe I am in need of the little maid's services first." He brings his face considerably close to mine with a smirk. I squint my eyes shut as I look away from him. _Wasn't that comment a little too bold?_

"Eh?! I don't even know you!" He laughs amusedly. I feel his hand leave my chin and open my eyes to see him straighten to his full height. _My gosh, he was tall!_ Leaning a hip against the door-frame, he looks at me with a cool, collected gaze.

"Do you not recognize me little maid?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. I shake my head. "I am Hikaru Asahina. Please, do not forget my name." He winks again as I feel my mouth drop open in shock.

"Y-y-you are Mr. Hikaru Asahina?!" I ask, blinking rapidly. The thought of it just didn't seem possible to me. This man (and I do mean _man_ ) possessed heart-stopping looks. His voice was deep and masculine, yet soft and gentle, and I could now see his feministic qualities shining through. But _because_ of these qualities, I am now able to recognize Hikaru as the brilliant man that he truly is. Realizing where my wayward thoughts are headed, I feel myself blush hotter than ever.

"What seems to be the matter, Melissa?" Hikaru teasingly asks, tilting his head a bit with a rueful smile. "Your face is red. Are you getting sick?"

"It's not like that!" I exclaim, ducking my head as hair falls in front of my right eye and completely covers it. I stare at my boots, unable to look him in the face.

"Is that you, Melissa?" At the sound of my name in such a soft and calming tone, I turn to see a man with pale hair walking towards us in a slow and graceful manner. _What was his name again?_

Hoping to get away with a safe answer, I reply, "Yes, Mr. Asahina?"

His soft smile fades a bit. "Will you not call me by my given name?" I open my mouth, but find the words frozen in my mouth from shock. Was it not considered forward for a maid to call her employers by their first names?

"Fuuto?" I finally say, the first name I can think of spouting out of my mouth in a question. The man who I had assumed to be Fuuto smiles amusedly at me while Hikaru snickers unabashedly at my now-obvious blunder.

"Fuuto, I never would have guessed it were you!" Hikaru says, smirking. I blush.

"Oh dear; I was wrong, wasn't I? Please forgive my mistake!"

"There is nothing to forgive. I am sure - no, positive - it could have happened to anyone." His voice is so calming and gentle that I feel myself begin to relax. As he smiles, I notice his kind lavender eyes shining merrily back at me in a squint. _Those... eyes…_

"You're the man who noticed my discomfort and asked if I needed drink, right?" I suddenly exclaim, almost certain of the answer myself. Sure enough, the man nods his head encouragingly.

"Hai!" He says excitedly. "Do you yet remember my name?" I struggle to sift through the many names I had heard today.

"Louis...?" I finally ask, nervous to hear the answer. His kind smile widens.

"You did well." Suddenly, he brings his face close to mine as if studying me. Unnerved by the action, I instinctively take a step back and run _smack_ into Hikaru's chest; I had completely forgotten that he was there.

"Would you allow me the honor of doing your hair someday?" Louis asks gently, tilting his head in question. I nod, trying to untangle myself from Hikaru, who had taken the opportunity to wrap his arms around me from behind. Smiling gratefully, Louis sends me a wave of farewell before continuing down the hall.

"Mr. Asahina, please release me!" I exclaim, squirming under his embrace as my cheeks begin to pink. The mixture of his warm breath on my neck and the dizzying scent of his cologne was driving my senses mad. If I remained like this for too long, I'd surely forget how to defend my maidenhood.

With one final squeeze, he whispers in my ear "Until next time, Ms. Melissa" before withdrawing. I turn, bow quickly to him, and then speed-walk in the direction that Louis had come from.

* * *

When he sees the midget-lady walk in his direction, Fuuto leans back against the wall which he had been hiding behind for the past ten minutes or so. Hikaru, Louis, _and_ the new maid? That was better than anything he could've asked for.

Fuuto was a sucker for family scandals, but this specific threesome was just altogether fascinating. Although spying on such scandals was such fun, he found that being part of the them were even better. At the sounds of approaching footsteps, Fuuto walks leisurely out of his hiding spot, stopping the girl mid-stride.

"Tsukiyama."

* * *

When a young man with messy light brown hair steps in my path, I let out a squeak of surprise as I stop within centimeters of knocking into him.

"M-M-Mr. Asahina!" I exclaim, while at the same time, he opens his mouth to speak. His eyes narrow slyly as he scans my body with a cold, calculating gaze and an involuntary shiver runs up and down my spine.

"Did I surprise you, little Tsukiyama?" He asks with a smirk. His eyes glint condescendingly down at me, so I drop my gaze to avoid looking at him..

"A-a-a bit, Mr. Asahina." He grunts, and I glance up to see him scowling. _Did I say something wrong?_

"Eh? What's with this 'Mr. Asahina' thing anyway? You make me feel like one of the old brothers."

I gulp; not this again. A new brother, a new face, a new name. And this one wasn't as nice as Louis. What would he do to me if I got it wrong? With my fingers crossed in hopes the safe route was really safe, I respond, "Then, you would rather me call you Fuuto?" Immediately, his eyes light up as if in excitement.

"Ah! So little Tsukiyama is not as stupid as I had thought!" I begin to play with my fingers as I look away from him. A mixture of hurt, anger, and disgust fills my heart, though I do my best to push it away. _Wow; rude much?_

"I guess not" I murmur, doing my best to keep my temper in-check. Before I can register what had happened, Fuuto has reached out and grasped my wrists in his powerful hands. Fear shoots through my veins as I struggle to break free.

"You will look at me when you talk to me" he says harshly through a sadistic smile.

"Let go of me" I whimper softly.

"Look at me!" He growls, still smiling. _What was with this guy?!_ I turn to look at him and force my eyes open.

"That's better." In one swift motion, he releases me with a shove. The force causes me to fall backwards onto the carpeted ground as the skirt of my dress inches up my leg. I timidly watch Fuuto walk away, leaving me on the ground as raises a hand in a flippant wave.

"Perhaps" I murmur to myself, standing up on my own and brushing my skirt down, "my stay here may be a little harder than first expected."


	4. Chapter 4: Maid vs Lawyer

**Character Info: Hikaru Asahina**

 **Age: 28**

 **Birthday: August 1st**

 **Height: 5'9 (175.26 cm)**

* * *

Chapter 4: Maid vs. Lawyer

*Sunday dusk/early evening, April 6th, 2014*

Natsume lets out a long, deep sigh from the innermost regions of his being. It had been an extremely tiresome day at the office, and with an aching headache, he just didn't feel like going home to an empty house except for his two mischievous cats - Tsubaki and Azusa. He didn't know how it happened, but he soon finds himself walking through the doors of Sunrise Residence's ground level.

 _What had drawn him there?_ Shrugging, he removes his shoes and heads up to the fifth floor. Even though he enjoyed seeing Ema, the new addition at the place had peaked his curiosity. Natsume knew he just _had_ to see her again; but for what reason?

The elevator doors open, and he casually slings his suit jacket over shoulder as he steps out. Walking towards the kitchen, he catches angered words and raised voices coming from within. _Huh?_ His interest ever growing, he stops just outside of it and peeks inside. Whatever was happening sounded heated; he didn't want to disturb, only to look.

The sight that greets him, however, greatly surprises him. In the center of the kitchen is Ukyo, towering over the short girl who had introduced herself as a nineteen year old woman named Melissa Tsukiyama. She glares up at him with her hands pressed firmly on her small but curvaceous hips. She says something to the giant, who's hard exterior seems to crack just the slightest bit. Smirking, Natsume remains silent and sits back to watch the show; this girl's defiant nature intrigued him.

* * *

Those stupid men; they should know that I wouldn't have all of their names learned by now! After being teased, questioned, and harassed by Hikaru, Louis, and Fuuto respectively, I had immediately gone back to my room and written down each and every name that I could possibly remember. With a little help from Ema (who had, thankfully, come back to visit me), I was able to match a name to a face, age, occupation, and personality.

When I next checked the clock in my room, I realized that it was seven o'clock and that I should probably start dinner preparations. Upon arrival, I found Ukyo in an apron and already pulling ingredients out of the refrigerator. When I had asked him what he was planning on making for dinner, he promptly responded with an uninformative grunt.

I dislike being ignored, which is exactly what he was doing. Disgusted with this childish show of indifference, I had repeated my question only to receive the same answer. Never having been able to hold my temper for long, it had flared up and before I knew it, the extremely tall, slender lawyer and I had gotten into a full-blown argument.

"Ms. Tsukiyama! I will have you know that it has always been _my_ job to prepare the meals and that as a maid, you are only required to do the housework such as cleaning and turning down the beds" Ukyo harshly informs me. I purse my lips out in a pout as I focus on retaliating with an intelligent response.

"Mr. Asahina; I was hired by your elder brother to do all housework and chores for the residences of this home. Preparing meals was part of the agreement for my payment and board. Please; allow me to do my job!" I inwardly cringe at the pleading tone in my voice, and how needy my voice sounded. It's not like I'm helpless! Ukyo grunts with a glare, to which I meet with one of my own.

I can hear footsteps approaching from behind, but I stubbornly remain with my eyes trained on the aggravating man in front of me. To turn away would prove defeat. That wasn't something I wanted to risk. _I'd stay strong, I'd show him who was boss, I'd..._

"That's enough, Ukyo." At the sound of Masaomi's voice, I turn to see that a large group has gathered around the kitchen, including Natsume, who I had been told lived separately from the rest. The orange-haired man wears a look of amusement and respect on his face as his violet eyes meet my brown ones.

Ukyo sends Masaomi a scowl before stalking out of the kitchen. A whoosh of relief rushes over me as I let out a sigh. It hadn't been easy to keep up such a brave front. I had almost lost it a few times, but somehow, I was able to keep the tears from falling.

"Ms. Tsukiyama?" I look up at Masaomi as his kind face slowly comes into focus.

"Yes?"

"I apologize for my brother's behaviour. He is used to being the one to keep things in order. I'm sure that he'll warm up to you soon enough, though."

I nod in understanding. "It can be a lot to take in when you're suddenly kicked out of your job."

* * *

 _She was so calm._ Had he not seen it with his own eyes, Natsume wouldn't have believed that she could be so strong. During the entire ordeal with Ukyo, Ms. Tsukiyama hadn't broken a sweat. Even now, she was talking to Masaomi with a steadily and optimistically. This girl was living proof to Natsume that one should _never_ judge someone by their height.

"Eh, Natsu? What brings you here?" Tsubaki's overly-exuberant voice breaks through Natsume's thoughts. He turn to look at his brother, who has a quizzical look on his face.

"Tsubaki! I, uh…" _What should he say?_ He couldn't very well say that he had come just to see the new maid. Natsume wracks his brain, attempting to think of an answer, until he spots Ema looking at him. With a smile, he nods to her before stepping outside to light a cigarette. Upset that he still hadn't received an answer, Tsubaki follows after him as he repeatedly asks his brother the question which Natsume hadn't responded to.

Ukyo closes his eyes and leans his head against the back of a dining room chair. The noise and commotion from this family had never gotten to him before; why now? He already knew the answer. It was Ms. Tsukiyama's doing. Though he desperately wanted to hate her, there was something about her that prevented Ukyo from doing so. Whether it was her figure, her spunk, or her overall willpower, he couldn't say; but what he did know was that she held some type of power over him, and he didn't like it one bit.

He opens slightly opens one eye to glance towards the kitchen as the maid talks with Masaomi. Though the doctor was the oldest at age thirty-two, the nineteen year old house maid seemed to get along with him just fine. How was that? From the oldest brother to the youngest, she was able to connect well with all ages. But her interactions with Masaomi just looked different to Ukyo. _Did she prefer older men?_

The lawyer sits bolt upright as his eyes widen in shock. _What in the world had caused him to ask such an immature, idiotic question like that?_ It was stupidity; he shouldn't care what the girl preferred. It was none of his business in the first place.

"Ukyo, what seems to have startled you?" Kaname asks, sliding elegantly into the seat next to his brother. The former clears his throat in an attempt to re-establish his cool exterior.

"It's none of your concern" he says bruskly, standing and leaving the family room.

Kaname watches Ukyo leave, knowing exactly what the matter was. To have the role as the "mother hen" of the family suddenly taken away from him must have given him a pretty severe shock. This Little One _did_ bring quite the excitement, though; that, he wouldn't deny.

Glancing up at the kitchen, Kaname's eyes meet Yuusuke's. The latter looks away with tightly pressed lips and a sullen aura. The monk smirks at the red-head's struggle to accept Ms. Melissa's presence. While Ukyo only disliked having his job taken away from him, Yuusuke on the other hand, had talked to Kaname a few hours ago and told him why he was against her being there. _What a story that had been!_

Yuusuke had first met her at Hinode High School when he had entered as a first-year. Known as the smartest student in the entire school, she had been the one who he'd looked up to as a role model. At the time, she had been a second-year. Every day, he would desperately try to get her attention, but she had appeared to be too focused on her studies and after-school activities to notice him.

The year after that, Ema had moved in with the Asahina family and Yuusuke had nearly forgotten about his idol until the name "Melissa "Tsukiyama" had been called during the graduation ceremony. After that, he had resolved to forget about the older girl who had been such an elusive, unreachable, untouchable school icon.

As Melissa and Ema chat with one another, Yuusuke releases an inaudible sigh. He really didn't want Ema to like Melissa, and he especially didn't want them to get along. He wanted Melissa to leave; he wanted things to return to the way they were.

Of course, it had only been six or so hours since Melissa's arrival, but those were six hours too long for Yuusuke. The very thought of eating his past role-model's cooking made him feel sick in the stomach. Sure, he had a hard time bringing himself to eat Ema's cooking, but things had changed (though not by much).

A small tap on his shoulder causes Yuusuke to look down. Immediately he spots the school idol-turned maid standing next to him, and his pulse begin to quicken as a faint blush brushes his cheeks.

* * *

While cooking at an extraordinarily fast pace (which I've never done before), Ema, some of the brothers, and I talk and laugh together. After putting the finishing touches on the casserole and carefully setting it in the preheated oven, I search to room for Yuusuke, whose mind had appeared to be elsewhere the entire time.

Since I had arrived, I had been looking for a good time to talk to him. I didn't want any of the brothers to get the wrong idea. Perverted thoughts seemed to be the main focus in the Asahina family. I guess that's what happens in a female-deprived home.

Walking up to his tall frame, I reach up on my tip-toes and gently tap him on the shoulder of his red, letterman's jacket. "Yuusuke?" I ask.

He looks down, then jumps away from me in a startled manner. "M-M-Melissa?!" The way he had moved away from me causes my fingers to slightly retract from his arm. It's easy to read his surprise. He stares at me with deep, red-brown eyes, and I can't help but feel nostalgic. _Where had I seen those eyes?_ I suddenly realize that I've been staring back at him. A faint blush covers my cheeks, embarrassed at the discomfort I'd caused him.

"I-I-I'm sorry if I startled you, Yuusuke. I only wanted to ask you a question" I explain gently, looking up at him apologetically.

I watch as his posture straightens slightly. "H-h-hai" he stammers."What's up?"

"Which high school did you attend?" He swallows as he looks away, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand in a show of nerves.

"W-w-why do you want to know?" He asks defensively as his face crinkles into a pout-like frown. He shoots me sidelong glance, causing me to take a subconscious step backwards. _He's rather intimidating…_

"I feel… Well, I really don't know" I laugh nervously. "Just, I it's almost like I've seen you before. I can't place a finger on it, though." I blush, all too aware of what I just said. I'd hate to know what was going on in the other brothers' minds.

"H-hinode High School" Yuusuke mutters, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"Hinode?" I tilt my head in thought. "That's where I went. Now let me see; Asahina…" I run the name through my head, wracking my brain for a memory I knew just had to exist somewhere in the recesses of my mind. _Asahina… Yuusuke Asahina..._

"Eh?! Little first-year Asahina?!" I suddenly burst as my eyes widen in recognition. "You're the one who always waited for me outside of my second-year mathematics class, aren't you?" Yuusuke's face grows red with embarrassment.

"Oi, don't say it like that!" He leans a hunched shoulder against the wall with his back facing me. I feel a pang of regret wash over me; I hadn't meant to embarrass him like that. Walking over to him, I reach up on tip-toe and place a hand on his shoulder.

"Please forgive me. I remember you now, and those are some of my fondest memories from high school." I smile gently even though he can't see me. "With my… family situation… being the way it was, school had been the only important thing in my life. But, because of _you_ , I was able to enjoy my second year more than any other year." Happy tears come to my eyes, and I wipe at them with my other hand. "During my final year, I often wondered what had happened to the first-year boy who had always waved so excitedly at me."

Retracting my hand, I hear the oven's timer go off. I reluctantly step away from the brooding young man to remove the casserole. As I begin making my way to the dining table, one of the pads readjusts itself. A searing pain bites into my right hand, but it takes a second for me to comprehend just what was causing my hand to hurt. Without warning, my scream shatters the air as I being struggling to hold the burning hot pan upright. _What was I supposed to do now?!_

* * *

 **Yuusuke does not really have a romantic interest towards Melissa, more like admiration and star-struck awe.**

 **Also, I don't know if you've noticed, but some of the brothers have specific nicknames for Melissa Tsukiyama. Can you spot them?**


	5. Chapter 5: Burns and Blushes

**Character Info: Tsubaki Asahina**

 **Age: 26**

 **Birthday: December 31st**

 **Height: 5'9 (175.26 cm)**

* * *

Chapter 5: Burns and Blushes

*Sunday dusk/early evening, April 6th, 2014*

Such grace and efficiency; Masaomi couldn't believe how lucky they had been to snag Melissa as a maid. She seemed almost too good to be true. She was respectful, strong-willed, kind, brave, intelligent, and beautiful. Despite her fall when they had first met, she was the definition of perfection. _Perhaps_ , he though, __she and I will have to discuss raising her salary.__

And then it happened; she screamed. Masaomi watches in horror as the cooking pad in her hand shifted and the hot metal bit into her skin. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Frantically searching for another pair of hot pads and finally settling for folded-up hand towels, Masaomi rushes over and whisks the pan out of her hands. _Ukyo would have been faster_ , he silently cursed. _He would have known exactly where the hot pads were._

Yuusuke is at Melissa's side in an instant. Leading her back towards the kitchen, he looks over his shoulder, back at Masaomi. "Oi! What should I do?"

"Run her hand under cold water!" The doctor instructs.

Jerking his head in a nod, Yuusuke turns the sink on at full-blast. He roughly grabs Melissa's wrist and thrusts it under the water's flow. The sharp force of the water and its freezing temperature hitting against her raw skin causes a soft whimper to escape Melissa's lips as tears spring to her eyes. Suddenly realizing the pain he was causing her, he yanks her hand out of the water and releases her wrist in one, quick motion.

Rubbing her wrist, Melissa bites her lip, obviously trying to suppress the tears from flowing down her face. At that moment, Ukyo bursts into the kitchen. Within seconds, he has assessed the situation and strode his way over to the maid's side just as Masaomi appears at the top of the stairs. Gently taking her wrist in his large hand, he places the burned area under the faucet while Masaomi lowers the water pressure.

During all the commotion, everyone failed to notice Hikaru smiling victoriously in a corner. All day, he had been waiting for something big to happen. The little maid didn't disappoint.

As he listens to the bustle going on above him, Kaname and Natsume share a smile. Having Ms. Tsukiyama around definitely promised an exciting future. Yes, Ema had stirred them up; but Melissa was going to wreak havoc.

* * *

The feeling of a strong, gentle hand on my wrist causes me to look up at the person assisting me. Surprised to see Ukyo standing above me, I immediately look down with a blush. I had said some pretty horrible things. Yet, he was still helping me.

"I-I-I'm sorry" I murmur as Ukyo turns the water off. I risk a glance up to see that he's also looking away in embarrassment.

"No, allow me to apologize. I believe I was the one at fault. If I hadn't left you to do the work alone, this wouldn't have happened."

A small gasp escapes me. "Oh no! I should have been more considerate of your feelings!"

"I should have been calm and talked reasonably with you."

"As should I!" We look at each other before laughing nervously.

"Again, I'm really sorry" I say, smiling warmly at him.

He nods. "As am I."

"Eh?! Our little maid seems to be warming up to Ukyo" Hikaru says, his voice gliding smoothly over the words. Startled, I send him a look of bewilderment. He only winks in response, a mischievous smile on his lips.

"Hikaru!" Ukyo objects. Hikaru laughs merrily.

"Let's go taste the meal for which Melissa has suffered for" Masaomi says, relief painfully obvious in his smile. I nod in agreement, absently rubbing the burn on my right hand.

As everyone takes a seat at the table, I serve each of them before taking a seat on the couch near the window.

"Oi! Take my seat" Yuusuke protests, preparing to stand.

"Oh no! I couldn't. I'm just a maid; there's no need for special treatment" I refuse hurriedly with a content smile. He grunts, but remains seated.

"Eh?! This is really good." I look at twelve year old Wataru, whose eyes have grown twice their normal size. "Thank you for the meal, Big Sister!"

"Big sister?!" I exclaim in alarm. _What was with this "Big Sister" nonsense?!_ I look over at Ukyo, but instead of correcting him like he had this morning, Ukyo simply smiles at the young boy.

I shake my head violently. "I'm only the maid!" Wataru hops down from his chair and walks over to me with hope shining in his big brown eyes.

"But, I want you to be Big Sister!" His lower lip begins to quiver, sending my mind racing for a solution before he started to cry. I knew next nothing about children, let alone a twelve year old who acted like one.

"Yes… But, you have Ema" I say cautiously.

"I want you to also be Big Sister."

I carefully think over my next response. "How about you call me 'Ms. Maid' until I feel ready for Big Sister?"

"Ms. Maid?" Wataru tries the title out, tilting his head in thought. "Okay. Thank you Ms. Maid!" He smiles angelically at me before returning to his seat. I watch him as my heart begins to melt. He had such an adorable personality! Middle school must be quite the experience for him. I hope he's doing okay there.

* * *

*Sunday late night, April 6th, 2014*

After dinner, Ukyo surprised everyone (including Melissa) by offering to assist the maid with the dishes. Together, the cleaned the dinner plates while everyone else retired to their rooms with the exception of Natsume, who went home.

Reflecting on the long, hectic day, Ema sits on a few pillows with a video game controller in her hand. Her lips are pursed in concentration while Juli curls up on the bed behind her.

"Those wolf brothers of yours better be kind to Mai" Juli mumbles sleepily. Ema smiles absently as her fingers race over the buttons.

"They will, I just know it."

"Go to bed, Chii."

"In a little while."

In another part of Sunrise residence on the third floor, Louis flops backwards onto his bed, staring up at his ceiling with softened eyes. His mind lazily drifts from one thought to the next before landing on Mai. She seemed like a sweet girl, but every time he thought about her, he almost felt like he was betraying Ema. It wasn't like he and his adopted sister were in a taboo relationship or anything, but it still felt wrong somehow. Besides, it was fairly obvious to the rest of the brothers that Subaru was Ema's obvious choice. _For what reason did Louis have for feeling guilt?_

With a groan, he rolls onto his side to stare the wall. His hand moves to unconsciously clutch the fabric of his shirt just over his heart. Why did he feel so conflicted? He hardly knew the maid. It just didn't make sense that he could possibly feel something towards her already. Or did it?

Subaru leans his head back in the shower, enjoying the feel of the warm water on his bare skin. Personally, he thought the new girl was a nuisance; but at least she got along with the rest of his family. Grunting softly to himself, he allows his thoughts to stray from the topic of . She was none of his concern anyway. More importantly was the subject of Ema Hinata. _How could he make a relationship with her work?_

He turns the water off and grabs a towel, wrapping it loosely around his waist. Stepping out of the shower, he leans over shakes his head a few times to get rid of excess water. Subaru's head jerks up in surprise at the sound of the door opening. Emerging through the humidity of the room was a short, dark head. A wave of nostalgia crashes over his head; hadn't Ema done this?!

* * *

With my eyes glued to the map, I search for the washroom. I had hoped to better examine the burn on my hand after dinner, but then I realized that I forgot to pack a first aid kit. Besides, it was so late at night that it was almost scandalous to even think of visiting Masaomi's room.

As I push open the bathroom door, a warm, muggy sensation greets my face. Startled, I look up from my paper to see Subaru staring dumbfoundedly at me with his mouth open in an unspoken alert.

"M-M-Mr. Asahina!" I stammer in surprise.

"Ms. Tsukiyama!" He exclaims at the same time. His deep voice reverberates off the bathroom walls, and I suddenly realize just how much a man he is and how much of a woman I am. I duck my head as I cover my eyes with one hand and blindly search for door with the other.

"I'm sorry!" I practically shout. "I swear, I didn't see anything!" My hand finally finds the door, and I push my back against it. The door opens easier than I expect, and I almost fall flat on my bum. My face goes crimson as I brace myself against the door. _How could I have been so dumb as to not knock in an almost all-men household?!_

"It's f-f-fine" Subaru mutters. I hear the pad of bare, wet feet pass me, but wait another minute or so before finally look up. Even then, I refuse to look down the hall from whence I came. With a sigh, I walk back into the warm, humid bathroom. One glance in the mirror tells me that my face matches the temperature perfectly.

"What in the world have you gotten yourself into?" I ask my reflection, who stares shell-shocked back at me. I shake my head, almost disbelieving of how much of an idiot I had become.

"I guess there's nothing else to do but to find that first aid kit" I mumble dryly. To my horror, I soon realize that no matter how many cupboards and drawers I search through, I would never find a kit in the entire bathroom. I exit the bathroom with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I had gone through embarrassment for literally _nothing_.

There was practically nothing left. I could either wait it out the night and hope for the best, or I could make a nightly visit to my so-called "master" (as Hikaru put it). With a grimace, I decide on the former. There was no way that I'd risk traveling to the fourth floor so late at night!

Upon arrival at my bedroom, I promptly change out of my white dress and untie the black bow at my throat. I flop onto the bed in nothing but my underwear and stockings, relishing in the feel of the soft bed-sheets against my bare skin. It felt incredibly relaxing!

Well over five minutes had passed when I hear a soft - but purposeful - knock at my door. I'm on feet in an instant. Having lived alone in an apartment complex and having never attended any of the resident parties, no one ever bothered to visit me. The experience of a late-night visitor was, admittedly, foreign to me. But the prospect of having someone to talk to? That had me heart racing in excited anticipation.

I open the door and peer out, surprised to see Ukyo on the other side. _What was he doing here?_

"Mr. Asa-" I begin until a cold draft floats into my room, making my state of attire painfully obvious to me. With a squeak, and I hide behind the door as a rose-colored blush finds its way into my cheeks. I can hear Ukyo clear his throat uncomfortably, and I immediately feel guilty.

"Good evening, Ms. Tsukiyama" he says, sounding embarrassed.

"Please forgive me" I murmur with my back against the door. "If you'll wait a few minutes, I will put on some… clothes…"

"Uh, hai."

Closing the door the rest of the way, I swiftly turn to the closet and produce a silk dressing gown which my friends had given me on my eighteenth birthday, telling me that I was "finally old enough" to wear it.

It is a deep shade of blue, stopping well above my knee. The spaghetti-strap bodice had ruffled decor outlining the breasts and clearly accentuating that part of the dress. Directly underneath the bust was a light blue bow, and the skirt had one single ruffle along the bottom. All things considered, I found it quite comfortable to sleep in, even though it _was_ created for... ulterior reasons...

Re-appearing in the doorway, I smile weakly up at Ukyo with an apology hovering on my lips. The words never come though. Ukyo's face takes my breath away; the intensity in his gaze was, for some reason, unnerving to me.

"I…" I begin, attempting to speak. My eyes fall to the ground. _What was there for me to say?_ He clears his throat again.

"I, uh, have some medical equipment for you. Masaomi requested that I bring it to your room." I notice Ukyo's nervousness. I _am_ covered; is there still too much showing?

Embarrassed, I stammer my gratitude as I take the supplies from him. Nodding, he turns and quickly leaves my room. As I close the door, I feel my eyes widen a bit with an unspoken question. _Was it just me, or were his cheeks also red?_

* * *

 **I apologize if this chapter seemed rushed and/or poorly written. The rest of the book is (hopefully) better!**

 **Review, favorite, and follow :) I love hearing your opinions!**


	6. Chapter 6: Not What It Seems

**Character Info: Azusa Asahina**

 **Age: 26**

 **Birthday: December 31st**

 **Height: 5'9 (175.26 cm)**

* * *

Chapter 6: Not What It Seems

*Monday morning, April 7th, 2014*

 _Beep, beep._

"Going away" I incoherently mumble into my pillow.

 _Beep, beep!_

"A few more minutes."

 _BEEP, BEEP!_ Reaching up, I fumble with the switch on the alarm clock until the annoying noise finally stops. I blink my eyes in the brilliant sunlight that shines through the glass pane located next to my bed. Swinging my legs over the bed, I look down at my feet in surprise. _Why am I still wearing stockings? And where am I?_ Yesterday's memories come flooding back at full force, along with the reminder that I had forgotten to remove my makeup last night.

Being powered by the thought, I hoist myself onto my feet and hurry over to the mirror. I take one look and groan; what a mess I am.

"Geez, what happened to you?" I ask myself with a pout. The mascara created dark circles underneath my eyes, and the red lipstick I had been wearing is now smeared onto my left cheek. Digging out a makeup remover wipe, I remove everything that had been on my face.

"At least I look normal" I comment dryly. To my relief, I had taken the time to remove my contacts and get them properly put away before going to bed. How I overlooked removing my makeup was beyond me, but that didn't change the fact that I had.

Groggily, I walk over to the dresser and dig through the drawers contents. I finally settle on a short, blue skirt and a tight, white scoop-neck t-shirt. Practically, yes? Throwing yesterday's stockings into a laundry basket located in the corner of my room, I slip my feet into a clean pair. After brushing my hair, tying a blue bandanna over it, putting in my contacts, and re-applying my make-up, I collect my extra pairs of shoes and leave my room.

I take the elevator down to ground level and slip them (along with my black boots) into cubbies alongside everyone else's. Satisfied with their neat look, I head back up to the fifth floor. Walking into the kitchen, I am surprised to find Ukyo already there and wearing that green apron from the day before.

"Ukyo?" He looks over at me as a kind smile spreads across his lips.

"Ms. Tsukiyama, good morning."

"Hai! Same to you."

While working side by side to prepare breakfast, some water that Ukyo is pouring splashes onto me. His eyes widen slightly as he looks away. _Why are his cheeks red?_ Looking down, I notice that the water made my white t-shirt transparent, giving Ukyo the perfect peek at my pale pink bra. I gasp in surprise, quickly turning my back to Ukyo as my own face heats up in embarrassment.

"Here." I glance over my shoulder to see that he's holding his green apron towards me.

"T-t-thank you" I murmur, taking the apron from him. Careful to secure it over the wet area, I return to the meal preparations. A few minutes after we finish, the rest of the family slowly begin to appear in the dining room, each looking tired to some degree or another.

"Good morning!" I say cheerfully to the redhead, carefully setting the food down on the table.

"Morning" Yuusuke grumbles, taking a seat at the table. His hair is as unruly as ever, and I have to fight down the impulse to smooth it out.

"Morning, Ms. Maid!" Wataru exclaims, bouncing into the dining room with a large, happy smile on his face. His sunshine-like personality was extremely contagious!

"Good morning Mr. Wataru Asahina!" I greet him, smiling back. Not long after, everyone is seated at the table. After giving thanks, the dining room fills with the chatter of any normal family discussing their plans for the day. I lean back into the couch with a contented sigh; it's nice to hear so many friendly voices. Once everyone has finished eating, Ema offers to help me in the kitchen. Though surprised, I agree.

"It's nice to have another girl in the house" Ema comments softly as we wash the dishes.

"I can imagine that it's hard to live alone with so many guys. Do you have many friends?"

Ema shakes her head. "Not really. I mostly just have my family, but I love each and every one of them." I glance over at her and notice a small blush creep into her cheeks as she smiles gently. _That's… Sweet?_

"That's good," I say out loud, "family's always important. I wish I had known mine." I feel a dull ache in my heart at the mention of my own family. Sometimes, some people had all the luck.

"Eh?" Ema looks at me, and I can read the unspoken question in her eyes. I immediately look away as I tears threaten.

"Ah, it's nothing"I say quickly, shoving down any and all depressed feelings. "Anyway, thank you very much for helping me with the dishes. I enjoyed talking with you!" I force a bright smile on my face.

"You're welcome!" She says, smiling back.

* * *

"U-ky-oooo!" Hikaru hurries down the sidewalk towards his brother, who was headed out to the office that day.

"Hikaru?" The lawyer's footsteps pause as he turns to face his younger brother.

"The little maid wanted me to ask you where the cleaning supplies are and if you had a list of chores for her" Hikaru says, tilting his head with a smile.

"Hai, I do." Ukyo reaches into his briefcase and produces a manilla folder, which he hands to Hikaru. "This contains all the information Ms. Tsukiyama will need."

"Is there anything else you'd like me to give or say to Melissa?" Hikaru asks, taking the folder with a smile while raising a suggestive eyebrow at his brother. Ukyo's face turns pink as he looks away with a scowl.

"Of course not!" He growls.

Hikaru laughs. "Eh?! Has the little maid stolen away our lawyer's heart?"

"Hikaru!"

"Goodbye, Big Brother!" With that, Hikaru heads back inside with manilla folder in hand, leaving an embarrassed Ukyo outside wondering why he hadn't punched him when he had the chance.

* * *

"Here you are, Little Maid" Hikaru hands me a folder. "Ukyo said that everything you wish to know is in here and for your eyes alone."

I take the folder from him. "Thank you, Mr. Asahina. I am grateful for your help!"

"Eh?! I thought I said not to forget my name" Hikaru teases.

"Ah, sorry. I meant Mr. Hikaru" I say, smiling.

He pouts slightly. "I guess that will be fine for now." I can't help but notice that he's wearing male attire again today; I guess he only cross-dressed yesterday to throw off my equilibrium.

"Do you like what you see?" I start at the sound of his voice, unaware that I had been staring at him.

"Uh, it's not what is seems. I, well…" I struggle to talk myself out of the situation. _How embarrassing to be caught staring at him!_ Hikaru only chuckles, pats me on the head, then walks away with his hands in his pockets.

Shrugging, I walk over to the red couch and take a seat, then set the folder on the coffee table and open it. The papers in it have neat, legible handwriting on them, with each job explained in a way that I can understand and everything overall appears nicely organized. It is nothing less of what I'd expect from Ukyo, who always seems to be calm, cool, and collected.

"Meee-liiii-ssaaaa!" I look up just in time to see Tsubaki launch himself at me.

"Oof!" I'm knocked straight on my back, with Tsubaki's arms wrapped tightly around my shoulders in a hug.

"T-T-Tsubaki?!" I exclaim, forgetting myself and using his given name. His handsome face is only inches away from mine, and I feel a blush beginning to form on my cheeks.

"Will you help me, Me-lee-ssa?" He looks down at with big, violet, puppy dog eyes.

I wriggle underneath him, trying to free myself from his embrace. "Ah, Mr. Asahina, could you maybe…" I struggle to find the right words to explain to him my view of the situation.

Tsubaki seems to understand what I'm trying to say; he sits upright, pulling me along with him. Though he ends the embrace, he keeps an arms wrapped around my shoulders. Dramatically, he places a hand on my cheek and moves my face to look straight into my eyes.

"Will you help me?" He asks pleading.

"With what?" I squeak, albeit a bit warily.

Tsubaki thrusts a small, pamphlet-like book into my hands. "With my script of course! I need your help so that I can rehearse my lines!"

"Me?!"

"Hai! On page twenty-two."

Stunned, I open the booklet to the requested page. My heart stops at the scene's title for the anime he and Azusa were recording for. "Mr. Asahina, I couldn't possibly…"

"Alright, let's begin!" Tsubaki interrupts, practically ignoring my protest. Taking a deep breath, he begins. "Please don't leave. I know I was cruel at first, but allow me to have a second chance." His words are filled with sincerity and passion. I can't help _but_ feel as if he's really talking to me, and I almost forget that he is, in fact, reading from a script.

"I-I-I won't stay another m-m-minute longer" I nervously stammer in a soft voice. I had never acted before, and saying such words was foreign to me. I had never found time for love in my entire life, let alone breaking up.

Tsubaki's hand suddenly reaches out and grasps my own, our two hands resting in my lap. "But I have changed! I'll be different; I'll do whatever you want me to do, and be what you want me to be." His voice grows insistent, causing me to glance up from the page to see his eyes staring intensely at my face. He pulls my hand to rest on his chest, and I can feel the beat of his heart.

"Ah…" Frantic, I try to find my spot on the page. "C-c-can I truly believe what you say?"

"Of course you can. You should know me by now." His voice is low and his lips are near my ear; his warm breath tickles my cheek. My body slightly tenses, and my eyes become glued to the words in the script.

"Mr. Asahina, I…" I try to tell him that I can't go on. The atmosphere is just too intimate, and I've begun to grow uncomfortable. Just as I open my mouth to speak...

"Tsubaki!"

* * *

 **As you can tell, Tsubaki is once again being his normal, pushy self. And poor Ukyo! It's just one awkward encounter after another for him.**

 **Anyway, is there too much suggestiveness? Not enough? Too much drama, or should there be more? Review and tell me your thoughts!**


	7. Chapter 7: Unearthed Pain

**Character Info: Natsume Asahina**

 **Age: 26**

 **Birthday: December 31st**

 **Height: 5'9 (175.26 cm)**

* * *

Chapter 7: Unearthed Pain

*Monday late morning, April 7th, 2014*

Azusa stares at the couch and the two people sitting there. The scene before could be seen as a man and a woman sharing an intimate moment to any _normal_ passer-by. But considering that the man was Tsubaki, and that the woman was looking up at Azusa with relieved brown eyes, it was obvious that that was not the case.

"Mr. Asahina!" She springs to her feet and bows to him, completely ignoring the booklet that falls out of her lap.

"Azusa!" Tsubaki looks at his brother with surprise and disappointment in his eyes.

"What do you think you are doing, Tsubaki?"

"Eh? I was only rehearsing. Couldn't you tell?" Tsubaki closes his eyes and leans back against the couch with an unconcerned attitude and a triumphant smirk on his lips.

With a sigh, Azusa shakes his head at his brother's antics. "Then let's leave it at that." Turning to face Melissa, he smiles faintly. "Allow me to apologize for my brother's behaviour." The maid ducks her head and bends down to gather up some papers and set them in a folder.

"It's fine" she murmurs softly with her head still down. With a finally bow, she picks up the folder and hurries up the stairs. After Azusa sees her disappear into the elevator, he turns to face Tsubaki full-on.

"Eh? What did you have to go and spoil everything for?" Tsubaki asks, opening an eye and looking at his triplet with a scowl.

"If I had not have been here, I believe you would have frightened the poor girl away" Azusa comments dryly, taking a seat next to Tsubaki. Leaning over, he picks up the script which Melissa had dropped. Since it was still open to page twenty-two, Azusa decides to quickly scan its contents.

"Does she realize that this scene has already been recorded?" He finally asks, looking at the white-haired man with a raised brow.

Tsubaki shakes his head with a self-satisfied smirk. "I doubt it. She may not be dumb, but I don't think she's very informed about the progress of our work." Standing, Tsubaki takes the script from Azusa.

"Like I said Azu, I won't lose to you." With one last salute of farewell, Tsubaki leaves the room. Azusa remains, once again sitting on the couch in amusement and thought.

* * *

After Azusa's timely interruption, I headed to my room to put the papers on my desk. The elevator dings, and the doors open. As I take a step out onto the third floor, I run _smack_ into someone.

"Watch where you're going, Little Tsukiyama!" At the sound of the now-vaguely familiar nickname, I look up to see Fuuto who is practically glaring down at me.

"Eh?! Mr. Fuuto?!" He's rubbing the side of his arm. _Did I hurt him?!_

"What was that for?"

"N-n-nothing! I never meant anything intentional by it!" My heart quickens in fear. He sounds angry. _Is he going to hurt me? Oh please, somebody, don't let him hurt me!_ Fuuto takes one, long look at me before letting out a harsh chuckle.

"Do I nervous you, Little Tsukiyama?" Like before, he roughly grabs my wrists, causing me to drop the folder from Ukyo. He draws his face close to mine, his brown eyes boring straight into my own. I instinctively look away as my eyes squint shut.

"Eh? I thought we went over this before." His voice; it's so, menacingly soft, that my eyes fly open out of sheer terror of what he would do to me if I didn't look at him. Biting my lip in determination, I force myself to look glance at him. Immediately, my face goes red.

"That's sort of better." Releasing me, he sends me a mischievous wink before striding casually down the hall towards his room. My eyes remain on his back, wanting to keep him in my sights until I was completely out of danger. With a sigh, I gather up the now-scattered papers. I make my way to my room feeling like I've been completely invaded. Someone ought to teach him about personal space sometime!

Finally arriving at my room without any more incidents, I walk in and set the papers on my desk before picking up the paper labeled "Monday". Once again admiring the neatness of Ukyo's handwriting, I carefully fold it up and slip it into the waistband of my skirt, then leave my room, locking the door behind me.

* * *

*Thursday morning, April 10th, 2014*

As I tuck Thursday's work schedule into the waistband of my black skirt, I take a deep breath. It was going to be a good day. The sun was shining, and the air was warm and filled with the smell of flowers.

"Melissa?" At the sound of a soft, gentle voice, I turn to see a man with long, tousled black hair. I smile brightly at him, glad to see his kind face again.

"Iori!" I exclaim happily as I close the door to my room. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

He shakes his head. "No. I was only wondering if you'd like some assistance today. I usually care for the gardens on Thursdays, but I believe Ukyo wrote that down as one of your new duties. Since you're new, I thought that maybe you'd like someone to help."

My eyes widen at this information. "Oh! If tending to the flowers is your job, then I won't get in your way!"

"There's no need to be worried. But, would you care for some company?" He reassures me with a kind smile. I feel myself relax in Iori's presence. It was definitely quite the contrast the the uptight and nervous feeling I got around Tsubaki! Looking up at him with newfound confidence, my smile grows a little wider.

"Well then, that would be nice."

* * *

While helping her water the red camellias, Iori can't help but notice that Melissa's once sunny attitude and talkative nature has now shifted to that of quiet sadness and depression. She stares down at the flowers as her hair falls in front of her face, preventing him from being able to read any emotion that she was obviously battling.

"Melissa?" Her head snaps up to look at him, and he immediately reads the pain that's in her eyes.

"Melissa!" He exclaims, his eyes wide with panic. _What's causing you to hurt so much?_ He wanted to ask her.

Melissa's also widen in surprise. "Yes?" The watering can slips from her grasp and falls towards the camellias. In one swift movement, Iori reaches out and catches it before any damage was done; not even a single petal was harmed. He watches Melissa look down at the floor. Worry lines crease his forehead when he notices her face turns an ashen gray in realization at what could have happened.

"I-I-I…" She looks at her hands with an unspoken apology hanging in the air. Iori reaches out and places and gentle, comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Melissa, it's fine" he reassures her. "But, are _you_ okay?" He asks in concern. Pain stabs at his heart as he watches a solitary tear slide down her cheek.

"H-h-hai." Iori shakes her head in remorse. She should know better than to lie. Melissa was so easy to read. There was no he could believe it; not after this show of emotions.

"Really?" He sits down and cranes his head so that he can look up into her face. She immediately pulls back in surprise as her eyes widen with unshed tears.

"It's nothing, I swear." She laughs nervously, wiping away at her eyes. Iori press his lips firmly together in a tight line; she was keeping something hidden. Even though he could see that she was trying to be strong, he could still see through to her weakness. Since flowers were his way of communication, he reaches out to pluck one of the camellias. At lightning speed, her hand shoots and grabs his, preventing him from even snapping a stem.

"Please; don't hurt them." He starts at the pain-filled plead in her small, quiet whimper. _What in the world could be the cause of her hurt?_

"Melissa…" Iori gently turns her head to look at him. "Please; tell me what is making you so sad." She looks up into his eyes, and he does his best to convey his sincerity. He watches as her strong, brave face slowly crumbles before his eyes. Soon, the tears begin to flow as agonized sobs wrack her small body.

"I-I-I…" She shakes her head. "My parents… And then it happened, and I…" He listens to her struggles to complete sentences, and watches as she angrily wipes at her mascara-streaked eyes.

"I'm sorry that you have to see me this way, Mr. Asahina" she murmurs. Iori grimaces; there she went again, apologizing like it was her fault. Like it was something she could have prevented. Like crying was _wrong_. They sit together on the grass with their knees touching. He aches to take the girl into his arms, but fears that he might overstep his bounds.

She looks up at him with teary eyes, pleading him to hold her. Throwing all caution aside, Iori wraps his arms around her and pulls her onto his lap. Melissa curls up against his chest as her sobs begin to die down.

"Take your time and start at the beginning" he says gently, reaching out and wiping at her tears. Sniffing, she takes a deep breath, and opens her mouth to speak.

* * *

*Thursday late morning, April 10th, 2014*

"When I was four, my parents and I were headed to my grandparents for the summer. My mother was bringing red camellias to my grandmother. You see, red camellias were both my mother and my grandmother's favorite flower. It symbolizes excellence and perfection, which is what both of them taught me to strive for. But, I'm sure you already knew that. Anyway, Father was wearing casual clothing that day, which was unusual for him. It was to be a family vacation; just mother, father, and I. Also, at the time, mother was two months pregnant with what was hoped to be as a little boy. You know, to pass down the Tsukiyama family name."

"As we stood on the platform at the train station, my mother accidentally dropped the bouquet of flowers on the tracks. Fearful that the blossoms would come to harm, she got down from the platform to pick them up. Just then, we could hear the whistle of the train as it neared the station and my father joined her on the tracks to help her back onto the platform."

"Before they could make it to safety however, the train arrived. I remember the moment vividly; I was wearing a powder blue lace dress and sunhat that mother had insisted I wear to protect my skin. When she had tied the ribbon under my chin, I remember how annoyed I had been. That day, the sky had been clear, and a cool wind had rustled the grass. I remember the look of terror on my parents' faces as the train came racing towards them. And in that split second, they were gone. It all happened so suddenly, yet, it was almost in slow motion too."

"I don't remember crying, but I do remember calling out their names and getting no response. Since I was just a child, I was not allowed to see their bodies, only the covered stretchers which they were taken to the mortuary on. I remember the funeral service; I was wearing a plain black dress. I didn't cry at the funeral either. In all honesty, I think it was because I was still in shock."

"After the funeral, I was sent to an orphanage, where I was treated with kindness. You see, my grandparents both died from the shock of my parents' death, and no one else in the family would taken me in. I assume it was for the better though. They treated me kindly at the orphanage. But, I still felt the lack of a family. Once I was enrolled in school, it quickly became the only thing that I cared about in my life. That is, until I came here."

Iori glances around the living room at everyone. He had called them together and had just recounted to them what Melissa had told him. His eyes land on Ema, who seems thoughtful, and Yuusuke, who seems confused.

"But, I thought she said that school was the only thing that was important to her _because_ of her family situation" Yuusuke mutters.

"Key word: family situation. As in, she didn't have one" Fuuto remarks snidely. Yuusuke glares at his younger brother's lack of sympathy.

"Eh?! Ms. Maid doesn't have a family?" Wataru exclaims as his eyes grow wide.

"So that's what happened" Ema murmurs, recalling the conversation she had had with Melissa earlier that week.

"What did you do after she told you this?" Tsubaki asks Iori with concern. It was only her fifth day there! How was it that Melissa had so freely opened up to Iori? Tsubaki shakes his head; he just couldn't understand why she hadn't told him this. _What did his younger brother have that he didn't?_

"I told her about Fuyuka," Iori responds, looking down at the floor. "And I told her that she wasn't alone." Inwardly, he knew he had done other things. _In such a situation, how could he have done less than he did?_ But, kissing her on the forehead, gently caressing her hair, and simply holding her close were things he was unwilling to share with the rest of his family.

Everyone shows sympathy for the young maid at one degree or another. Tsubaki presses his lips together in a firm line as he feels his heart break a little. _Was a it possible to feel so strongly for someone he barely even knew?_ Azusa comfortingly places an arm around his triplet's shoulder, while Natsume sits quietly next to them with his chin resting in his hand.

The two oldest exchange glances. _Why hadn't she said something earlier?_ For once, Hikaru has a serious look in his eyes. Louis places a hand on Ema's shoulder, and the two share a look of empathy for the girl who had also lost her parents.

Yuusuke clenches his fists with anger. He should have known; he should have tried harder to get close to her at school. Kaname and Subaru both remain silent, feeling sadness. But, how were they to respond? Fuuto grits his teeth and folds his arms across his chest. _Tch_ , he silently scoffs. _Such show of emotion is weakness_.

After looking around at his distressed brothers, Wataru walks over to Masaomi. Tugging on his sleeve, he asks "Can we adopt Melissa?"

* * *

 **I apologize for the length. Please forgive me for that.**

 **I found it fitting to use Iori for this circumstance since they both lost loved ones, and I felt that flowers were a tender way for Melissa to get the burden off her chest.**

 **I'm well aware that 19 years old is too old for adoption, but Wataru's only 12. He's gotta be pretty oblivious to that fact, right?**

 **Review, favorite, follow, whatever. Let me know your feelings on this chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8: Comfort and Kindness

**Character Info: Louis Asahina**

 **Age: 25**

 **Birthday: February 22nd**

 **Height: 5'8.5 (174 cm)**

* * *

Chapter 8: Comfort and Kindness

*Thursday late morning, April 10th, 2014*

I stand in the washroom with a washcloth, staring at myself in the mirror. My face had been terrible when I first arrived. Now, it looks somewhat normal if not a bit red. An hour or so ago, Iori and I had been talking. I had been crying. He had hugged me, and I didn't stop him. My cheeks flush at the memory of his arms around my body. _Honestly Melissa! Such thoughts!_ I take a deep breath and leave the washroom, only to hear the sound of voices. Looking over the railing, I'm surprised to see all thirteen brothers, Ema, and her squirrel. Seeming to have heard my footsteps, everyone looks up and my breath catches in my throat. _They look so sad; what happened?!_

Panicking, I ask, "Has something happened?" as I rush down the stairs. My heart begins to quicken as various scenarios run through my head. _What if something happened to Ema's father? Or their mother? Maybe there was a crisis!_ Whatever it was, I had to know. I wanted to support them.

As my bare feet land on the soft carpet, Wataru launches himself at me, knocking me backwards. I sit on the stairs with him in my lap, and blush despite my concern. Wataru is practically as tall as me, after all. But, with circumstances appearing as they did, I find that I don't have the heart to push him off.

I open my mouth to ask what in the world is going on, but Wataru explodes, "Please let us adopt you, Ms. Maid!" He looks pleadingly into my eyes, his own brown ones glimmering with hope.

"What are you talking about?" I frantically look around the room as my mind races for answers. Be part of their family?! What could that _possibly_ entail?

"They all said you're too old to be adopted" Wataru pouts, pointing an accusatory finger at the couches.

"Adopted?!"

"Since you don't have a family anymore, then we'll be your new family! And then you can be Big Sister for real!"

"Who told you I don't…" My voice trails off when my eyes meet Iori's. He looks away as a guilty blush rises to his cheeks. As realization dawns, my own face begins to heat up. Doing my best to untangle myself from Wataru's arms, I stand up off the stairs and make my way over to the couches. Once I'm facing them, I bow deeply.

"I'd like to sincerely apologize if what happened in my past as disturbed you" I say, straightening from my bow but refusing to look any of them in the face. "I promise that I had no intention whatsoever of allowing you to know my backstory. I ask that you do your best to forget anything about me or my -"

"Meee-liiiii-ssaaaa!" Tsubaki cuts in, rushing over to me and throwing his arms around me. I release a squeak of surprise from his tight hug. I guess age difference doesn't do much when it comes to brothers. _Now I know where Wataru gets his personality..._

"I'm soooo sorry Melissa" he cries, his face buried in shoulder.

"Ah, well…" Words fail me. _Why do they all look so sympathetic!_ Well, not everyone. Fuuto doesn't. But, let's face it; that's not unexpected.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tsubaki asks, pulling away enough to look at me. I stutter out some excuse, though I'm not quite sure what I said. Despite whatever I said, he pats me on the head as the rest of the family gathers around to show their sympathy and comfort.

Azusa, Hikaru, Ema, and Louis each give me a hug. Kaname tenderly touches my cheek, Subaru and Natsume pat me on the head, and Ukyo places a strong hand on my shoulder.

Soon, Yuusuke stands in front of me. He looks down at me, and my heart breaks a little as his face seems to crumble right before my eyes.

"I-I-I'm so sorry" he says penitently, dropping his head. "I should have done more in high school. Please forgive me!" He bows low, and I feel myself once again surprised. _His humility is… Overwhelming?_

"There's nothing to apologize for!" I exclaim, pushing at his shoulders to try and pull him out of the bow. "Whenever you'd wait for me after class, I felt like I had the little brother I was meant to have! Thank you for that!" Yuusuke finally straightens only to throw his arms around me, squeezing me tight for a split second before quickly releasing me and backing off. I blink in startled shock. His face goes red in embarrassment as he tries to fade off into the crowd.

Finally, Masaomi approaches me. "Ms. Tsukiyama, I would like you to know that you have our whole-hearted support and that we are willing to do anything and everything to help heal your broken feelings." He takes my hands and presses them gently between his two larger ones. Bending down, he looks directly into my eyes, causing me to blush slightly.

"We can't adopt you, though we would in a heartbeat" he says, smiling apologetically. "But, we _can_ welcome you in as an informal member of our family. Please accept us."

"I-I-I…" I look around at the circle of warm, kind faces staring back at me, waiting for my answer. Making up my mind, I finally exclaim, "I would be honored!"

"Big Sister!" Wataru runs towards me and wraps me tightly in a hug.

"Meee-liiiii-ssaaaa!" Tsubaki joins in. Soon there is a large group hug in the center of the living room. As the tight arms around me loosen, my eyes meet those of Masaomi, Ukyo, Natsume, and Subaru.

"We are glad to have you, Ms. Tsukiyama" Ukyo and Masaomi say.

"It will be an interesting change to have you around, Ms. Tsukiyama" Natsume adds.

"W-w-welcome, Ms. Tsukiyama" Subaru stammers awkwardly.

I smile at the four brothers. "If I'm to be part of your family, then you _must_ call me Melissa."

"Then please, call us by our given names as well" Ukyo remarks.

"Oh no! I couldn't possibly; I am only just the-"

"You _did_ say that you were part of our family, did you not?" Masaomi interrupts. I silently nod. "Then, it would not be wrong for you to use our names as freely as you have asked us to do." He smiles kindly at me.

I look around at all the warm, welcoming faces surrounding me, inviting me to become one of them, even if only in the heart. Making a decision, I nod resolutely.

"Hai! I will, thank you everyone. Please take care of me!" I bow low, hands clasped gratefully to my chest. Standing, I am greeted with applause.

Masaomi steps back to join the semi-circle that has formed before me. Holding his arms out welcomingly, he says, "Melissa Tsukiyama; welcome to the Asahina family!"

And that is how I became one of them. I could feel the strong passion that they had for each other, and though I hadn't been there long, they so readily allowed me to become apart of them. I now had a family I could almost call my own, and a joyous sensation fills my heart.

For the second time that day, tears stream down my cheeks, and I impatiently wipe them away. Laughing, I apologize.

"Why are you crying, Big Sister?" Wataru asks, looking at me with concern. Still laughing through my tears, I tenderly reach out and touch his cheek.

"Oh, Wataru! These are happy tears!" I explain, still wiping them away. "My happy feelings of having something like a family is so great, they are overflowing and spilling out of my eyes." I reach out and hug him.

He hugs me back. "I love you, Big Sister."

* * *

 **Obviously, I'm sure some of you are wondering, "Where's Fuuto?" "Why didn't you say what he did to show comfort?" Those are GREAT questions! And those questions will be answered at the beginning of Chapter 9, so look forward to that.**

 **Favorite, follow, and review as always! And thank you to those who have done so! It means so much to me #LoveMyReaders**

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


	9. Chapter 9: Family Contention

**Character Info: Subaru Asahina**

 **Age: 22**

 **Birthday: September 21st**

 **Height: 6'0 (182.88 cm)**

* * *

Chapter 9: Family Contention

*Thursday late morning, April 10th, 2014*

When the others had stood up and surrounded Melissa with warmth and kindness, Fuuto had gotten up and left the room. Now roaming the halls of the third floor, Fuuto glares down at the carpet with ill-disguised contempt. He disliked - no, hated - the maid. Everything he had said and done to her was meant to scare her away. Apparently, his efforts had failed, because now she was being brought into the family like the stray dog that she was. Failure was something that Fuuto just couldn't stand.

Pausing by a window, he looks at this reflection in the mirror. He narrows his eyes at his angry face. Look what she was doing to him. She was ruining his beautiful features! Reaching out, he punches the wall next to the window. Staring into nothing, he presses his lips firmly against each other. Now that she'd be here for awhile, it was high time that he figure out a new plan.

* * *

*Saturday morning, April 26th, 2014*

 _*Note: Masaomi is now 33 yrs old, and Iori is now 21*_

Two weeks ago, I had been welcomed in as a member of the Asahina family. This morning, I pull myself out of bed a few minutes before my alarm goes off. Since having been given a purpose to be alive every morning, I seem to have gained a better appreciation for mornings. Today is the third Saturday I'd be spending with this strange but loyal family, and I've come to relish the weekends in which everyone would almost always be together.

Pulling on a knit, short-sleeved, fit and flare dress, I brush my hair before picking up my small bag of hygiene and beauty products and heading to the bathroom on the fifth floor. I knock on the clear, glass door. Just because it wasn't steamy didn't mean that no one was in there. I had learned the hard way that not everyone used hot water. Besides, bathrooms were meant for more than just taking showers.

 _Poor Yuusuke and Louis!_ The varying looks of shock on their faces had been priceless, though the situations that I had walked in on were embarrassing. I had learned my lesson then; I was _not_ about to repeat it. Listening carefully at the door now, no one responds, so I walk in. After brushing my teeth, putting in my contacts, and applying my makeup for the day, I gather up my stuff and head out of the bathroom.

"Oof!" I stagger back a few steps as my eyes come to rest on the yellow, sweatered-chest that I had just run into. The sound of a growl pulls my eyes upwards and into a scowling face. My heart drops. Of all the brothers to run into, why did it have to be him?

"Fuuto! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to -" I gasp out.

"Eh? And what do you want?" He snarls. I blink several times at his hostility. Sure, I'd noticed that he hadn't been teasing me since I became an unofficial Asahina, but I had just thought he was warming up to me. I guess I was wrong; big time.

"Well, nothing. I just thought I'd-"

Fuuto scoffs. "Aw, you _just thought_ " he mocks, bending down to my level and tilting his head. A shiver runs down my spine at the cruel smirk on his lips. "What a big accomplishment for our Little Tsukiyama!" He reaches out and roughly tousles my hair, then pulls on it.

I wince in pain. "P-p-please don't" I squeak out as my right hand reaches up to try and lessen the pain.

"Eh? Isn't this what a 'little brother' would do?" He asks sarcastically. "Shouldn't a 'little brother' tease his 'big sister'?" He abruptly lets go of my hair, shoving me back into the bathroom. I stumble as I fight to regain my balance on the slick, tiled floor. My bare foot slips out from under me, and I fall helplessly to my knees. The door clicks shut, and a sense of fear clutches at my heart. I watch Fuuto warily, refusing to let my guard down.

"What's the matter, Tsukiyama? You don't look very good right now." Fuuto slinks towards me. I crawl backwards until my back presses against the wall. With nowhere else to go, I sit helplessly as he crawls on top of me, placing a hand under my chin.

"I never wanted you here," he hisses. "Once you arrived, I thought that I might as well have some fun. But having you 'adopted' into the family? That is just _too_ much."

Moving his hand from my chin to the back of my neck, his lips are about to brush mine just as I object with a soft, "wait."

He drops his hand as a look of surprise crosses his face. Apparently, he wasn't used to being refused. He backs up a little, and I take the chance to escape. I lunge towards the small tote bag which had my supplies in it. Sometime along the way, I had dropped it. Picking it up, I stand and turn abruptly to face him.

"I'm sorry if my being here is against your wishes" I say, breathing heavily as adrenaline pumps through my veins. "It was not my intention to ruin your life. But, please understand that I will _not_ tolerate physical, nor sexual abuse. If you want, I won't say anything about this to the others; but I do ask that you refrain from touching me in such a way again." Finishing my small speech, I hastily bow to him and make a beeline out of the washroom, leaving a stunned Fuuto sitting on the tiled floor.

I speed-walk down the hall as a I hold back the tears. It wasn't every day that I confronted a man, but it seemed that I was doing it more and more often. It's almost more than my poor nerves can take! Leaning my back against the wall, I slump to the ground and bury my face in my knees; but the tears never come.

"And then afterwards, I said… Oi!" The sound of a familiar, deep voice and the pad of footsteps causes me to slowly lift my head. My eyes are immediately drawn to the pairs of lavender and red eyes staring back at me.

"Senpai?!" Yuusuke panics, hurrying to my side. "Are you okay?" Nodding, I slowly stand to greet him and Louis with a bow.

"H-h-hai. I'm fine now. I was just-"

"Your hair" Louis softly comments, reaching out to smooth it down. "However did your beautiful hair become a mess?" I flush scarlet as the tears from early suddenly spring to my eyes. I rapidly attempt to blink them away as I look at my feet.

"It's nothing, really. I was -" I'm once again interrupted when I glance up at Yuusuke. His eyes widen in surprise, then narrow dangerously.

"Fuuto" he growls menacingly. I whip my head around to the see my harasser standing about ten feet behind me. A faint gasp escapes my lips as a chill runs up my spine. _How long had he been there? What had he heard?_

"Did something happen?" Louis asks, looking at me. His voice is still soft, but there's a serious, underlying tone which he used. My lower lip starts to quiver as I once again drop my eye to the floor. Now was the moment for me to prove to Fuuto that I wouldn't tell.

"N-n-no" I stammer, brushing the hair out of my eyes. Louis walks around to crouch in front of me.

"Are you sure?" He asks, staring intently into my eyes. I nod, biting my bottom lip to keep from bursting into tears. Louis pauses in thought.

"Then I will not continue to ask about it. Would you allow me to fix your hair?" He looks kindly into my eyes, and I feel my strained nerves begin to relax. I nod again and follow him towards the elevator.

* * *

Yuusuke gratefully watches Louis lead Melissa away from the tension-filled hallway before turning to look at his brat-faced little brother full-on.

"Oi, Fuuto. What was that all about?" He asks evenly with a threat in his eyes.

Fuuto smirks at his brother. "Eh? And wouldn't you like to know?" He brings his arms up to his head lazily, turns around, and impetuously leans back against the wall. Yuusuke's temper begins to boil. _What was with the attitude?_

"Melissa looked like she was about to cry. And I have an idea that you had a part in it!" He points an accusatory finger at the idol. Fuuto gives his angry brother a sidelong glance before straightening and walking over to Yuusuke. He stops directly in front of him, folding his arms over his chest.

"And why do you care? Do you have feelings for Tsukiyama?" Fuuto smiles smugly as his short-tempered brother's face goes red. "Also, what a childish thing to call her 'senpai'" he adds. Yuusuke glares at him.

"T-t-that's not what's important!" He splutters in embarrassment.

"Eh? And why not?" The idol puts his hands on his hips defensively. "For all I know, all of you brothers have a thing for Little Tsukiyama. As for me," he stuffs his hands in his pockets, "I couldn't care less."

As Fuuto walks past Yuusuke, the redhead asks, "And why is that?" causing the idol to pause in his tracks for a brief moment.

"We have Ema. We don't _need_ another girl. We all love Ema. Isn't she enough?" Sending his older brother one last, scathing glance over his shoulder, he stalks down the hall and into the elevator.

* * *

 **To be continued... In Chapter 10 ;)**

 **Your thoughts on the different confrontations? Review and let me know!**


	10. Chapter 10: Inevitable Disaster

**Character Info: Iori Asahina**

 **Age: 21 (20 at the beginning of Chapter one)**

 **Birthday: April 17th**

 **Height: 5'10 (177.8 cm)**

* * *

Chapter 10: Inevitable Disaster

*Saturday morning, April 26th, 2014*

Melissa was in no condition to cook; Yuusuke knew that for a fact. Walking to the kitchen, he finds Ukyo already tying on his apron. He seems confused and anxious, as if waiting for someone. At the sound of footsteps, he quickly turns around. When his eyes land on Yuusuke, however, the light in his eyes goes out.

"Oi, Ukyo!" Yuusuke greets.

"Yuusuke." Ukyo dips his chin in acknowledgement. He strains his neck to try and see past the redhead. Yuusuke cocks his head to the side.

"What are you looking for?"

"I'm not! I was just-"

"If it's Melissa, then she's with Louis right now. I think Fuuto did something to make her mad, so Louis' going to calm her down."

A wave of concern washes over Ukyo. Fuuto seemed to have been lying low lately, but everyone knew that that meant he was up to no good. Yuusuke raises an meaningful eyebrow, and Ukyo quickly catches on.

"Then, I will see to the breakfast preparations this morning."

* * *

I sit on my knees on the floor of Louis' bedroom. He gently brushes my hair, and I find that his hands are surprisingly gentle. Whenever he tugged a little harder at an especially difficult knot, he'd immediately apologize. He didn't really need to though; it never hurt.

"We are no longer with Fuuto" Louis comments. "Will you still not tell me what happened?" I carefully turn to my head to look at him over my shoulder. Our gazes lock, and I see just how sincere he is in his eyes.

"I-I-I don't know if I should…"

"If it concerns Fuuto or our family, then of course you should." He says gently with an encouraging smile.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to tell him. Louis listens attentively as he brushes my hair, and I recount everything that the cruel teenager had done to me. Reliving the memories causes me to regret my actions. I was older than him! I shouldn't have let him push me around. I was stronger than that! The anger at myself continues to grow, and at some point, my words begins to choke up near the end of the story. Louis places a hand on my shoulder, and I feel at the self-hate drain almost instantly out of my system.

With a sigh, Louis says, "I am deeply sorry for my brother's behaviour."

"It's alright. I'm just worried about the next confrontation." I turn to face Louis. "I don't know if I'll have enough confidence to face him again."

"Would Mai consent to a haircut? It would help boost her confidence" Louis remarks, speaking in third-person as he tilts his head.

"Haircut?" I repeat. The unexpected nickname throws me off a bit, not to mention the out-of-the-blue suggestion. I had kept my hair in a left part that fell over my right eye since I was thirteen years old. My second year in junior high had prompted me to grow out my blunt, straight-across bangs. But, now that I'm older, maybe a change of style was called for...

"What, exactly, did you have in mind?" I finally ask.

"Perhaps some shorter, side bangs?" I run the idea through my head several times. It didn't sound all that bad, and I could always hide the bangs if I didn't like it. With a decisive nod, I respond.

"I trust your judgement."

With a smile, Louis stands up and walks over to his dresser. He pulls out a salon cape and several tools before returning to his seat on the bed. Attaching the cape around my neck, he sprays the front part of my hair water until they are drenched. In fifteen minutes, he's expertly cut off the hair which had always fallen in front of my eyes.

Louis hands me a mirror before detaching the cape. Using it like a net, he wraps the cut pieces of hair in it before moving to a garbage and dumping the hair in it. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, then move the mirror in front of my face. I can't help but gasp in shock; I look older, more mature, and decidedly prettier.

"Oh. My. Gosh. It's looks great!" I exclaim, setting the mirror down. "Thank you!" Without a second thought, I throw my arms around his neck in a hug. Louis' eyes grow wide as his lips stretch in a surprised smile.

"I'm glad you like it" he murmurs. Our eyes meet, and I quickly back off. Both of us are blushing.

"S-s-sorry" I stammer, looking down. "I overstepped bounds."

He laughs softly as he shakes his head. "No need to be sorry. I'm just glad that I was able to help brighten your day." Gesturing to the door, he asks, "Shall we?"

* * *

By the time Louis and I arrive at the dining room, I find the meal has already been prepared and that everyone (except Natsume) are already seated and eating. Everyone turns to look at us, and various degrees of surprise and shock register on their faces.

"Eh?! Big Sister looks cute!" Wataru proclaims.

"Wataru!" Yuusuke says, thwacking him on the head while his own cheeks go pink.

"No, he's right. Melissa looks very cute" Kaname agrees, smiling at me. I blush, looking down at my feet.

"Ah, thank you" I murmur softly. I hear approaching footsteps, and look up to see Ukyo. He's holding a plate out towards me with a kind smile on his face.

"For you, Melissa" he says.

"Thank you. I'm sorry that I didn't do my job" I respond, taking the plate from him.

"No need to apologize." _Did I sense sympathy in his voice?_ I shake my head as I walk over to my usual seat near the window. I can feel Fuuto's glare following every step I take, but do my best to avoid it.

The family resumes their discussions for their plans, and I listen as they chat. Suddenly, Fuuto bolts up, out of his chair, knocking it over in the process. The clatter of the furniture draws everyone's attention to him. Fear grips my heart; __what is he going to do?!__

"I think Tsukiyama should leave Sunrise Residence" He says decisively.

"Eh?!" Everyone exclaims.

"Fuuto!" Ukyo scolds, also standing. "Sit down. What is the meaning of this?"

"I don't want the maid here" Fuuto responds flatly, folding his arms over his chest. A stunned silence falls over the room, and I lower my head as an embarrassed blush creeps into my cheeks. _This is it; I'm done for_. My lip begins to quiver and I blink rapidly to fight back the tears. After this, I'd probably be out of a job. _Was I wrong to come here in the first place?_

* * *

Masaomi closes his eyes and sighs. He hadn't really had to deal with this type of contention before. _What could have possibly gotten the idol so worked up?_ Opening his eyes, he narrows them slightly and calmly asks, "What happened to cause such an outburst?"

Fuuto glares at his oldest brother. "Tsukiyama has only created inconveniences for us all!"

"Oh really? How?" Azusa asks, his features darkening considerably.

"Tsubaki was required to give up one of his rooms" Fuuto replies promptly. "And Ukyo was kicked out of the kitchen." No one except Ema notices Melissa's head snap up. She sympathetically watches the maid; the young woman had gone through so much already, she didn't need this too.

"I was not _kicked out_ of the kitchen" Ukyo counters. "I _chose_ to remove myself from the kitchen."

"And I don't mind giving up a room for Melissa!" Tsubaki adds angrily. Fuuto rolls his eyes; their willpower to defend the lady was weak. He knew that if he continued to goad them, they'd eventually fall - one by one.

"Then what about Iori?" Fuuto responds. "Tsukiyama is now in charge of tending to the garden, which was Iori's pride and joy." Iori only glares un-amusedly back at his younger brother.

"Oi! And when did you start caring about the rest of us so much?" Yuusuke argues, throwing back his chair and rushing the idol. He tightly grabs onto the collar of his shirt, pulling them face to face.

"What does this matter to you? What has she done to hurt _you_?" To make his point clear, he jabs Fuuto in the chest with his index finger.

"Yuusuke!" Ukyo hurries over to the two young men. Wataru begins tearing up, causing Ema to quickly move to his side to comfort him. She gently places her hands over his ears and glances over at Melissa. The poor maid was shaking like a leaf.

Fuuto gazes into his brother's face with a stunned look on his face. He had always pegged Yuusuke as dim-witted. But, the statement which he had just made was fairly intelligent, and his voice was full of conviction. It was no wonder that Fuuto hesitated in responding.

Instead, he holds his brother's gaze. However, Yuusuke overpowers the arrogant idol and Fuuto is forced to look away. Closing his eyes, he smiles slightly. He knew such an act of indifference would stir up of his hot-tempered brother. It was just the thing to lessen the sting of losing to him.

"That does not concern you" he finally replies. Just as Fuuto expected, Yuusuke's face goes red with anger. With his hand still gripping the shirt collar, he roughly shakes Fuuto.

"Yes, it does! You've listed off everyone else; but what of you, Fuuto?" Pausing for dramatic effect, Fuuto releases a large sigh of resignation. He turns to look at Yuusuke, and the interrogator's hard expression falters for a split second. The idol's eyes burn spitefully as an evil grin spreads over his lips.

"So you really want the whole family to know? Then I'll tell them! I think that Tsukiyama is replacing Ema!" A loud _crash_ draws everyone's attention to the room just in time to see Melissa bolt from her seat. Her hand covers her mouth as she runs from the room; a solitary tear slides down her cheek.

"Oi, you-" Yuusuke turns back to his brother. His hand on Fuuto's shirt collar tightens considerably.

"That's enough you two." Ukyo roughly separates the brothers. "Fuuto, you will apologize to Melissa. And Yuusuke; don't let your temper control you like that!" He slaps them hard on the side of their heads.

"I'm not apologizing" Fuuto states hard-headedly, stubbornly folding his arms over his chest.

"You _will_ apologize to her" Ukyo re-iterates, readying his hand above Fuuto's head as if to slap him again.

"Eh, fine. Whatever!" Fuuto sticks a hand in a pocket and sends the family a dismissing wave as he stalks out of the dining room. Once gone, Yuusuke turns to Ukyo.

"Do you think he'll really say apologize?"

Ukyo shrugs wearily. "Only time will tell."

* * *

 **I'm sorry *hides in a dark corner* So much drama, and this may appear poorly written. Again, I apologize.**

 **Well, you know the routine! I LOVE hearing from and talking with my readers ^_^**


	11. Chapter 11: Mending the Broken Pieces

**Character Info: Yuusuke Asahina**

 **Age: 19**

 **Birthday: March 31st**

 **Height: 5'9 (175.26 cm)**

* * *

Chapter 11: Mending the Broken Pieces

*Saturday late morning, April 26th, 2014*

Slipping on a pair of heels and yanking my purse off of the coat rack, I run out the mansion without any regard to where I'm going. So what I if I get lost? If Fuuto didn't want me around, then maybe it was better this way.

I look around the city streets and suddenly feel painfully alone; I don't know anyone. _Where am I?_ The late morning sun beats relentlessly down on my head, and I instantly regret not grabbing a hat.

I find myself on a less-popular street. The buildings are quaint, more European-looking, and rather old-fashioned. I can't help but smile; I loved the older eras and foreign cultures. This street was almost heaven. A soft mint green and white striped awning catches my eye, and I find myself standing in front of a small music shop. Over the door hangs a piano-shaped sign, indicating the shop's name.

With anything better to do, I climb the few steps and open the door. I'm welcomed by the soft jingle of bells and the scent of new sheet music. An elderly couple standing behind a counter smile amiably at me. I nod at them before heading to the shelves, browsing through the small but stuffed shelves that seem to take up most of the shop.

Turning a corner, my breath catches in my throat at the sight of a sleek, black, grand piano. The window near it seems to direct the sun's rays onto the instrument like a spotlight. I walk over to it and lovingly run my fingers over the smooth, ivory keys. _It's absolutely beautiful!_

"Do you play, miss?" The voice startles me, and I turn to see the elderly man smile kindly at me. I nod, smiling back.

"We would be honored if you would play our piano. It has not been touched for quite some time" he informs me.

"Really?" He nods. "Ah, thank you." I quickly return to the shelves and find a songbook that had caught my eye earlier. Carefully taking it off the shelf, I return to the piano and set it down on the music stand. Unlike most modern pianists, I didn't memorize songs or play by ear. Instead, I had chosen the path of sheet music. Even though I could sit down and play songs from memory like many of my friends (or more popular artists), I had found joy in sight-reading music while in high school.

I place my fingers on the keys, take a deep breath, and hit the first chord. The sound sends a thrill of delight and a sense of calm through my entire nervous system, and I continue to play with new-found energy and excitement.

* * *

"This is so troublesome" Fuuto grumbles as he searches the mansion. Everywhere he looked, Ms. Tsukiyama wasn't there. If he didn't find her soon, he knew there would be h**l to pay.

"Oi, Fuuto." Turning, Fuuto spots his red-headed brother walking towards him.

"Eh? And what do you want?"

"She's not here."

Fuuto scoffs. "Tch; do you think I don't know that?"

"If you know that, then why are you still here?"

Fuuto dangerously narrows his eyes. "I was just about to leave."

"Good."

A few minutes later, Fuuto walks the city streets with a pair of sunglasses on. He _hated_ going out. The stress of being discovered was fun, but could only be enjoyed for so long before it got old and bothersome.

If he had a choice, he would've stayed in the mansion - where it was safe. If the maid hadn't run out, he wouldn't have been forced out of the comfort of his bedroom and into the outside world of screaming girls and annoying paparazzi.

While browsing various shop windows, a familiar scream reaches his ears. A girl shouts, and he winces. It was inevitable; but how did it happen so fast?!

"Eh?! Isn't that Fuuto Asakura?!"

"What? Where?"

Growling in annoyance, Fuuto scans the streets before spotting a side road. He follows it to find peculiar-looking buildings. Something draws him towards a small music shop, and without a second thought, he hurries inside of it. _No one would look for him there, right?_

As the door opens, bells ring, and Fuuto spots two old people who look to be the owners of the place. The sound of a piano catches his attention, causing him to pause. Straining his ears, he suddenly recognizes it as one of the few songs which his family had recorded together, titled _"14 to 1."_ He mentally slaps himself on the head. _How had he noticed it sooner?!_ He knew; it was the sound.

It wasn't played upbeat or pop-style. Rather, the person playing it gave it a soft, music box-like tone. If he didn't know better the song could've been played in an upper-class hotel lobby. The song intensifies as chords in the lower octave are struck decisively on the keys, though the higher notes remain gentle and melodic.

As the song ends and a new one begins, Fuuto begins to wander around the shop. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but the person playing the song intrigued him. Whoever it was had a talent; one that just couldn't be ignored. Rounding a bend, his interest grows when he spots a petite, dark-haired girl sitting on the bench. Her body sways gently as she plays, and Fuuto finds himself drawn to the calm aura around her. This was a feeling he could get used to.

At the end of the song, she closes the songbook she had been playing from and stands. She steps away from the piano and turns to face Fuuto. He feels his heart stop as his eyes meets hers. _Was it even humanly possible for such a calm feeling to come from her, of all people?_

* * *

From every song I played, my smile grew a little bigger. I had forgotten how free it felt to play the piano! From every key that I strike, joy courses through my veins. It felt wonderful to return to an old pastime of mine. They had gotten a piano at the orphanage that I had stayed at just so I could develop my talents.

Tiring of the book, I close it to find another. Turning, I hear myself gasp in surprise. _Someone had been listening?!_ He leans on the shelf behind me, and I shake my head to clear it.

"Fuuto!" I exclaim in bewilderment.

"Tsukiyama!" He splutters at the same time. My face heats up in embarrassment and anger. _What was he doing here?!_ Out of the entire Asahina household, he was the _last_ person I wanted to see. And yet, there he was, standing before me in all his cruel glory. He had probably ridiculed me.

Pressing my lips firmly together, I lower my head and brush past him. I would not talk to him. He didn't deserve to hear what I thought. I had no desire to know what he thought; I already knew. A hand tightens on my upper arm, and I stop mid-step. Tension-filled silence sizzles between the two of us until I finally speak.

"Is there a reason why you stopped me, Mr. Asahina?" I murmur, cold and emotionless. No response. Slowly, I twist my body towards him as my eyes move from the floor to his face. He's looking away from me, and his expression is hard and uncaring. _Tch; nothing less than expected._

"If I am not needed, then I'll be on my way." I reach up with my left hand and pry away his fingers. As I take another step, he once again reaches out grabs my right arm. I feel my temper flare; how _dare_ he touch me!

I open my mouth to protest, but Fuuto interrupts loudly by saying,"Tsukiyama, I want you to hear me out!"

I shake my head in disbelief. "You want _me_ to listen to _you_ after all the hurtful things you said to _and_ about me?" I ask incredulously. _He must be denser than I thought if that's what he thought!_ My eyes find his and I stare him down, despite the suffocating passion that greets me.

"Tsukiyama; I am deeply sorry that I hurt you" he laments, bringing his face close to mine. "Could you find it in your heart to forgive me?" His hands trails down my arm to grasp my hands. The piano book falls to the ground with a soft _thud_ , but neither of us move to pick it up.

I open my mouth, then clamp it shut. _What could I say?_ At this point, I didn't know whether to believe him or not. I search his eyes for a hint to his sincerity. _Maybe he really meant it…_ Fuuto's chuckle breaks the spell.

"Eh? Did you really believe that?" He asks, flicking me lightly on the forehead. Before I can deny it, a look of seriousness washes briefly over his face. "But really Tsukiyama, I am sorry." He bends down and picks up the songbook, then hands it to me. I take it, albeit a bit warily.

"Did I leave you speechless?"

"Huh?"

Fuuto laughs. "Eh, no matter. Put the book away and follow me." Nodding dumbly, I place the book on a shelf before quietly trailing after him. After a few minutes of walking in silence, I reach up and tug the sleeve of his yellow sweater.

"I'll accept your apology. And I… I forgive you" I murmur.

"Eh?" Fuuto whirls around, almost throwing me off balance. I look up at his face to see that his eyes are wide from surprise.

"Did I say something wrong?!" I panic, dropping my hand from his sleeve. "I'm sorry!" I bow deeply to him.

Fuuto laughs. "Forget about it!" He begins to walk away, and my short legs work overtime to keep up with his long ones.

"Hurry up!" He calls back over his shoulder. He grins playfully, and I finally catch a glimpse of his true smile. The ice around my heart melts a fraction; I laugh lightly as I race to catch up.

Suddenly, Fuuto stops and it takes everything that I have not to collide with him. Standing next to him, I look up at the sign on the building and my eyes widen considerably in shock.

"This place?!"

* * *

 **Where could he have possibly taken her?! You'll have to wait 'til Chapter 12 to find out ;)**

 **Favorite, follow, and review! You guys are the best!**

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


	12. Chapter 12: Saturday with Fuuto

**Character Info: Fuuto Asahina**

 **Age: 17**

 **Birthday: July 7th**

 **Height: 5'8.5 (174 cm)**

* * *

Chapter 12: Saturday with Fuuto

*Saturday early afternoon, April 26th, 2014*

"Where's Big Sister?" Wataru asks, looking up at Masaomi. If anyone knew the answer, the oldest would; right?

Masaomi shakes his head. "We're not sure, Wataru. Hopefully, she's with Fuuto."

"Fuuto is a big meanie" Wataru pouts. "He says rude things to Big Sister, and then he gets her all to himself."

Kaname chuckles. "And you have an issue with that?"

"Yes! I want to play with Big Sister too!"

"You have Ema" Ukyo reminds him, walking into the family room.

"I know that… But she's always busy with school!"

"Then why don't we try calling Ms. Melissa?" Kaname suggests. Masaomi nods and dials her number; no response.

"Try Fuuto's cellphone; Melissa may have forgotten hers" Ukyo says. Masaomi tries to call Fuuto; still no response.

"Call again!" Wataru says eagerly.

* * *

At the sound of my phone ringing, I rummage through my purse to find it. Just as I pull it out, the call is sent to voicemail. Since I don't recognize the number, I don't call back. I'll check my messages later. When Fuuto's phone rings, however, I turn to look at him.

"Shouldn't you get that?"

He shakes his head. "No, it's not important."

"Uh, sure..."

I gaze ,wide-eyed, at all the expensive clothing around me. I had always wanted to shop at a place like this, but I had never been able to afford to even browse these types of stores. And now here I was with Fuuto - an idol and one of the people who I worked for - standing in the middle of one of the biggest brand-name stores in Japan.

"Try something on already!" Fuuto barks out. Startled, my eyes dart up to look into his face.

"Ah, well… I haven't really been to a place like this before. I really have no idea where to begin! The size of the store is so large, and -"

"Shut up already and put this on." While I had been talking, Fuuto had been walking around the store and picked out something for me. He pushes me towards an unoccupied dressing room, shoves the hanger into my hands, then pulls the curtain shut.

I look down at the soft, deep blue fabric in my hands as a wonder-filled gasp escapes me. It was a dress with short flowy sleeves, a layered ruffle-like skirt, and a beaded accent belt. _How did he know that this would be something I'd wear?_

Eagerly, I slip it on and gaze at myself in the mirror. I stifle a squeal of delight; the front dipped down it a very flattering sweetheart-neckline, and the skirt came just above my knees. It perfectly fit my petite frame, and the color was just the right shade for me. I twirl in front the dressing room, giggling.

"Hey! Are you done in there?" I pause mid-spin; _I completely forgot Fuuto was out there!_

"Hai! Sorry."

"Don't apologize. Just come out already; I want to see how you look in the dress." I slowly pull back the curtain and step out. I watch as his eyes widen, and he just stares at me in shocked silence. In all honesty, he looks like he's about to fall off the stool that he's sitting on.

"Fuuto!" I rush over to him. "Are you alright?" He simply blinks. "Fuuto? Please say something! Does it really look that bad on me?" At each word, my voice rises a fraction. Finally, he reaches up and clamps a hand over my mouth.

"Enough with the shouting" he says, closing his eyes. "It looks good on you, okay?" I shake my head. _Do I believe him, or is he just saying that to shut me up?_

"Really?"

"Yes; don't ask stupid questions."

"You mean it? I admit, I _do_ feel like it's kind of presumptuous of me to wear something so nice."

He sighs, obviously exasperated. "Trust me; you look great." I turn to examine myself in the full-length mirror behind me.

"Eh? And what are you staring at?" Fuuto asks, sounding slightly irritated.

"Well, I'm just not sure if I'm even worthy to wear this dress" I explain to his reflection in the mirror, turning side to side. I had dropped the stiff, professional, servant speech long ago, but this was the first time I had really _talked_ with Fuuto.

"What do mean 'worthy'? If you like it and you look good in it, then get it!" He sends me a somewhat stern look, causing me to straighten my posture and match my expression to his.

"Do you think I have the funds for that?" I ask. "I place my paychecks into a saving account. I use that saving account to provide for my own future. How can you expect me to to go and spend the money which I've worked so hard to earn on something as trivial as a dress? I know you meant well when you brought me here, but I'm sure I could find a dress just as good as this one at a cheaper, more affordable store."

Before Fuuto has time to stop me, I go back into the dressing room and quickly change out of the beautiful (but expensive) dress. I carefully place it back on its hanger before stepping out from behind the curtain.

"Please return this to its rack" I say, placing the dress into Fuuto's hands. "Thank you for bringing me here; it really was nice to have some time off from work. But, I must return to my daily duties. I'm sure everyone's wondering where we are." My gratitude sounds a little forced, and I avoid eye-contact.

I step outside and wait for Fuuto by the doors. Pulling out my phone, I remember the unknown number that had dialed me. At the sight of ten or so missed called from the same number, I dial it, curious to know who it was. Besides, I needed a distraction from mine and Fuuto's most recent conversation.

* * *

Masaomi's phone rings, and he quickly pulls it out and answers it.

"Hello, this is Doctor Masaomi Asahina. May I ask who is calling?"

"Masaomi?" At the sound of Melissa's voice, his shoulders instantly relax.

"Melissa! It's good to hear your voice. Is everything alright? Did Fuuto find you?"

"Yes to both of questions. I would like to apologize, though, for slacking on my duties. I'm very sorry about that." Masaomi smiles gently to himself; she worried too much about her job.

"There's no need to be apologetic, Melissa. Considering the circumstances, I understand why you were upset and the need to take some time off."

"Masaomi?" He looks up from his phone to see a nurse standing in the doorway of his office.

"Sorry Melissa, please hold on a moment" he says into the phone. To the nurse, he responds with a, "yes?"

"The patient in room 301 is ready for treatment."

"Thank you; I will be there shortly." The nurse bows before backing out of the door, shutting it softly behind her.

"I'm sorry Melissa, I have to go."

"There's no need to apologize! I'm really sorry I didn't answer my phone earlier."

"It's alright. I should be done after this treatment, so I'll see you later."

"Okay. Goodbye, Masaomi." He hears the line go dead and places the phone on his desk. Standing, he goes to room 301 to begin the examination with his mind at ease.

* * *

"Eh? Who were you talking to?" Fuuto asks, coming out of the store. I jump as I fumble to put my phone back in my purse.

"Your brother, Masaomi" I answer. "Are you ready to return to Sunrise Residence?"

Fuuto nods, then holds up a bag. "Yeah; I've made _my_ purchases." He starts walking away, and I hurriedly follow after him.

Eventually, we arrive back at the mansion. As I walk into the living room, I'm bombarded by an enthusiastic Wataru.

"Big Sister!" He cries out, throwing his arms around me. I stumble backwards, speechless. Scanning the room, I spotting Ema and do my best to communicate with my eyes that I need her help.

"Melissa! We were worried about you" Ema says as she comes over and helps to untangle me from Wataru's tight embrace. "I'm glad to see you're alright."

I nod, smiling. "Thank you for your concern." As she goes back to sit on the couch, a thought suddenly comes to me.

"Ema?"

She turns to look at me over her shoulder. "Hm?"

"Could I talk to you?"

"Yes, of course. Let's go to my room."

* * *

 **I'm really sorry it's taken me a while to update. My list of reasons:**

 **\- I hiked the Grand Canyon (was gone October 2 - 4)**

 **\- A whirlwind of new stories and plot ideas have been racing around in my brain**

 **\- Writer's Block for the win! (not)**

 **\- School is stressful (grade/level/etc is classified)**

 **Thank you to those who have been dedicated fans and to those who review the story. You're the best!**

 **Anyway; favorite, follow, review! Also, I created a poll a while ago (you can find it on my profile). Vote and let me know who YOU ship Melissa with! I love seeing the results, and they may (or may not) effect the direction in which the story goes. We'll just have to see what happens ;)**

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


	13. Chapter 13: Girl Time and Revelations

**Character Info: Wataru Asahina**

 **Age: 12**

 **Birthday: January 3rd**

 **Height: 4'10 (147.32 cm)**

* * *

Chapter 13: Girl Time and Revelations

*Saturday afternoon, April 26th, 2014*

I follow Ema to her room on the fourth floor. When she opens her door, I find myself gaping at the TV and video game controllers on the floor.

"You play?" I ask as she closes the door behind us.

She nods shyly. "Yes; admittedly, quite a bit. Do you?" Her words belie the eagerness in her voice.

"Not often, but when I could get my hands on a controller, it was pretty hard to get me off."

"Would you like to play while we talk?" She asks; I nod. Ema walks over to the TV, turns it on, and then sets up a game. She hands me a controller, and we sit side by side in front of the television screen.

"So, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Ema asks, her voice distracted. I make a few moves on the game as I consider how to word it.

"Did you ever have trouble getting along with Fuuto?" I finally ask. She looks at me in surprise.

"I did... " She fidgets uncomfortably. I notice her hesitation to say more, and immediately feel bad.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped my bounds. Please forgive me."

"It's okay" she murmurs quietly. "I guess you're having trouble with him too?"

I nod. "More than you could imagine." A vague, ironic smirk crosses my lips as I recall the recent events.

"He's not an easy person to get along with" she remarks. "But once he warms up to you, and when the two of you start getting to know each other, he can be a fun person to be around." I glance at her to see that she's smiling gently.

"You know, we've all been through a lot together" Ema says, still smiling. "One time, for Valentine's Day…"

* * *

*Saturday late afternoon, April 26th, 2014*

"They really did that?" I ask, laughing. The video game was long forgotten as Ema recounts to me a past Valentine's Day. Subaru, Ukyo, Tsubaki, Azusa, Louis, and Wataru had competed against each other by trying to make chocolate for her. Not only had their attempts fail, but then Iori had shown them up by creating chocolate roses.

"Yes, they really did eat them" Ema giggles at the memory. "I didn't even get a taste; but the roses _were_ very pretty."

"That's so mean of them!" We look at each other and laugh again. We continue to talk, and she tells me about past events that happened when she had first arrived at the mansion and that led up to her graduation.

"And then, not long after that, you came" she finishes an hour or so later. During that time, the thought of household duties hadn't even crossed my mind.

"Wow; I feel like I can fully understand your step-brothers now" I comment, fascinated by the many things which Ema had experienced with the Asahina family.

"I'm glad; they really are so much fun to be around" she says. "And as for Fuuto, he needs someone he can open up to and connect with. Please be good to him."

I nod. "I will."

A knock at the door causes both of us to jump in surprise. We turn to see Louis walk in with Juli on his shoulder. His already smiling face brightens somewhat when our gazes meet.

"Mai! What a pleasant surprise to see you here" he comments softly, closing the door behind him. "I heard laughter coming from this room and thought I'd see what was happening."

"Oh! I'm sorry, were we too loud?" I ask. Ema and I nervously look at each other.

"Not at all; laughter is good at any rate" Louis says, joining us on the floor. "So, Mai; what brings you to Chii's room?"

I tilt my head in confusion. Sure, he had called me Mai before when he cut my hair this morning (though it seemed an eternity ago), but hearing it so many times, plus the other, unrecognizable name, threw me off.

"Who is Chii?" I ask. Ema clears her throat; she looks embarrassed.

"Ah, that would be me."

"Oh…" A strange, uncomfortable silence falls over the room.

Unable to stand the awkward tension I finally ask,"If it's not too forward of me to ask, why do you call me Mai?" I turn to look at Louis. He looks at Ema, who in turn, looks at Juli. To my complete shock, the squirrel nods its head to an unspoken question that seems to be understood by all in the room - except me.

"Melissa," Louis says gravely. "Please, do not tell anyone else what we are about to tell you." I realize the seriousness of the situation; Louis called me Melissa, not Mai.

"You have my promise."

Louis takes a deep breath. "Juli is the one who chooses the name. We've never asked him about the meanings behind them; it's just something he does, and we accept it."

"Wait, what?" I shake my head to clear it. "You're saying that _Juli_ is the one to choose the names? How do you know which name he wants?" I ask, genuinely curious and slightly bewildered.

Ema looks at Louis before answering my question. "We can understand and talk to Juli."

* * *

"Mai? Mai! Mai, can you hear me?" My eyelids flutter open at the sound of a higher-pitched, male voice. The first thing I see is a gray squirrel peering into my face. I gasp, bolting upright and causing a dizzying sensation to wash over me.

"Hey! Careful, careful. Don't let me fall" Juli scolds, clinging onto the top of my dress. I stare in disbelief. _He's really talking! And I know exactly what he's saying!_ I shake my head. This _can't_ be happening. It's completely illogical, and yet, it's still happening whether I like it or not.

"Can you understand me?" Juli asks, looking up at me with big, blue eyes. I nod, shocked into silence.

"Good. Ema and Louis went to find Masaomi after you fainted. I didn't think you were such a delicate thing, though. You always seemed so strong." He tsks a little, looking as disappointed as a squirrel can.

"Who else can understand you?" I ask, my voice finally returning.

"Just you, Ema, and Louis."

"Why?"

The squirrel shrugs. "I'm not sure. But Ema and Louis both lost their parents and were adopted, so perhaps your past lining up with theirs has something to account for it."

"Perhaps" I breath.

"Melissa?" Juli and I turn towards the door to see Ema, Louis, and Masaomi.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?" Masaomi moves to my side and places a hand on my forehead. "You're not warm, so it's not a fever."

"I'm fine, really. I'm not exactly sure what happened myself!" I reassure him, laughing shakily. Though I do my best to stay calm on the outside, my heart is racing and my nerves are taut.

"Are you sure?" Masaomi asks, worry lines etching his face; I nod. He reaches out a hand and helps me to my feet. I feel unstable holding up my own weight, and my legs start to give way as I stumble.

"Careful there." I feel a strong hand wrap around my small waist. I look up to see Masaomi bent down to support me. His face is only inches from mine.

"I'm sorry." I blush. He's so tall, and I feel bad that he has to bend down to my height, which is barely taller than Wataru's. Besides, I haven't been doing my work, and now I'm talking to a squirrel like a crazy person. _Maybe doing what I was supposed to would have been the better decision…_

"There's no need to feel bad, Melissa. I - we - want you to be in the best of health and the highest of spirits." He smiles, but I can see that he is also blushing and I couldn't help but note that he changed "I" to "we".

* * *

 **And that concludes Chapter 13. Since it's the thirteenth chapter, and there are thirteen brothers, I thought I'd make it special by throwing Juli into the mix of things ^_^**

 **Thoughts on that? Do you think adding Juli was a good or bad decision? Why or why not? Let me know; I value your feedback :)**

 **To EternalNosebleed: This chapter is dedicated to you. I know you've requested more Ema in the story, so here it is. I hope that I have met your expectations!**

 **Anyone else notice the OVA cameo? ;)**

 **Follow, favorite, review, and vote for your favorite ship! Love you guys!**

 **~ Melissa-Disney99**


	14. Chapter 14: Day Dreams

**Character Info: Ema Hinata and Melissa Tsukiyama**

 **Ema:**

 **Age: 18**

 **Birthday: Unknown**

 **Height: 5'1.5 (156.21 cm)**

 **Melissa:**

 **Age: 19**

 **Birthday: September 7th**

 **Height: 4'11.5 (151.13 cm)**

* * *

Chapter 14: Daydreams

*Thursday late afternoon, May 15th, 2014*

A few weeks later, Iori and I kneel in the garden as we tend to the flowers together. I had been with the Asahina family for a little over a month now, and all of us had fallen into an unofficially established routine where we could exist comfortably with each other.

I had become accustomed to speaking with and being around most of the family, and they in turn, had welcomed me for who I was with open arms. Fuuto and I bantered like siblings, and I had slowly adjusted to the fact that I could really communicate with a squirrel.

I feel a hand rest on mine and pull the watering can that I've been using to an upright position. I blink several times as I look up at Iori, who is looking down at me with a gentle expression on his face.

"You were lost in your thoughts, so I thought that I'd give the flowers a break from their shower" he says, smiling kindly at me. My cheeks flush slightly.

"I'm sorry, I guess I should be more careful and not get carried away with my thoughts!" I laugh nervously.

"It's alright; it's nice to see that you can daydream with such a peaceful look on your face." At this, I duck my head in embarrassment as my slight flush turns to a deep red.

"I don't really know what to say to that" I murmur. I steal a glance up at his face to see that he has a soft, reminiscent smile on his lips. He places a hand on my cheek and guides my head so that we make eye contact. Immediately, I feel myself being pulled in by his deep, hazel eyes.

"Oh dear, am I intruding?" The two of us jump apart at the sound of Kaname's smooth, suggestive voice.

"Ah, no, not really; it isn't what it looks like. Please don't get the wrong idea!" I become flustered under Kaname's impressive stature and shockingly indecent gaze. I nervously tuck my hair behind my ear. Out of all the brothers, Kaname was one of the few that I still couldn't talk naturally with.

"What seems to be the matter, Little One?" At the sound of the nickname which he so frequently used, I reach up and twist a few strands of hair between my fingers.

"Kaname" Iori says firmly. I look at him to see that his eyes are narrowed and his shoulders are tense. He stands, then helps me up as well.

"Well now, I was coming to see if you wanted my help" the monk says, pretending to pout. Iori protectively wraps an arm around my shoulder; his stance is strong and unmovable.

"We're fine, thank you for checking Kaname" Iori says. His voice is soft, but powerful. I marvel at his ability to stay so calm, but remind myself that he's grown up with Kaname and obviously, he's accustomed to his older brother's loose personality.

Kaname takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. "Until later, Little One." He sends us a backwards wave as he walks away. I feel myself relax as I let out a breath which I had apparently been holding.

I notice that Iori still has his arm around my shoulder, and I debate whether to point it out to him, or to just leave it there. It felt strangely comforting to be near him. To my dismay, he removes his arm, but the disappointment is short-lived as Iori smiles down at me.

"I'm sorry about my brother" he says.

"It's okay" I reply, tilting my head in reassurance.

Iori offers me his hand. "Shall we go inside?"

* * *

"Big Sister!" Wataru launches himself at me as Iori and I step out of the elevator onto the fifth level.

"Let's do something together today, Big Sister" he says with a huge grin on his face.

"But you have homework, and I have maid-work" I say, smiling kindly at him. Though twelve and growing taller day by day, Wataru's personality was still adorably childish and demanding.

His countenance falls. "Iori gets to play with you when you're working! So does Fuuto, and Ukyo, and Lou-"

"That's enough, Wataru." I turn to see Ukyo walking towards the three of us.

"I will be going." Iori bows to Ukyo and me before going back into the elevators. I look up at Ukyo with an unspoken plea for help in my eyes.

"I see you and Iori have just finished in the garden. Very well; Melissa, you may have the rest of the day off."

"Eh?! Really?" Wataru's eyes grow big with excitement; they practically shine. Ukyo nods, and the twelve year old let's out a whoop of joy. He grabs my hand and pulls me towards the elevators.

"Come on, Big Sister!"

* * *

Ukyo watches with a smile as Wataru drags the poor maid away. _What a pair_. He had endured two weeks of annoyance, all because Wataru wanted to "play" with her. But, when Ukyo became aware that Melissa had been working herself to the bone during those two weeks, he felt that she deserved a break.

"Oi, Ukyo." He turns to see Yuusuke walking towards him with his hands in his pockets.

"Yes?"

"Where's Melissa?"

"With Wataru. Do you need her for something?"

Yuusuke looks away, embarrassed. "Yeah."

"I'm assuming Wataru took her down to his room."

"Thanks."

Ukyo watches his awkward, red-headed brother step into the elevators. The young man was reckless, but he was good. Unlike his idol brother, Yuusuke worked hard for everything he did. If he wanted something bad enough, then he would ensure that he'd get it. Ukyo worried for his brother's social future, but had no concerns about anything else in the way of Yuusuke's life.

"Ukyo." Once again, Ukyo turns at the sound of his name. Subaru walks up the stairs, a distant look on his face.

"Is something the matter, Subaru?"

Subaru's cheeks turn a pale pink. "I, uh, was wondering where Melissa was."

"Melissa?" Ukyo raises his eyebrows in surprise. The basketball player nods, avoiding eye contact with the lawyer.

"She's with Wataru."

"Thanks." Subaru also goes into the elevator after responding similarly to Yuusuke.

Ukyo shakes his head as he chuckles slightly. His athletic younger brother was a different type of awkward than Yuusuke was. While the redhead was just all-around socially unfit, Subaru was only uncomfortable when a female was brought into the situation.

He smiles bemusedly to himself as he makes his way downstairs. Taking a seat at the dining table, he adjusts his glasses as he scans over some paperwork. His thoughts wander off to a petite yet head-strong young woman; one that was only an elevator ride away.

She had been occupying his thoughts and daydreams more often than he would have imagined possible - or would have liked to admit. On the days he left the house, he would see her in everything around him. He couldn't get her out of his thoughts; not that he was complaining.

"Ukyo?" He snaps out of his trance to see Hikaru standing in front of him.

"Hikaru? What are doing here?" Hikaru laughs a bit.

"I decided to see how Melissa was faring. But it seems I'm not the only one who can't stop thinking about her."

Ukyo's eyes narrow. "Please do not compare me to yourself."

"Fine, fine; whatever you wish" Hikaru says flippantly. "By chance, would you know where I could find her?"

Ukyo sighs. Anything to get Hikaru to go away. "She's in Wataru's room."

"Thank you, Ukyo." As Hikaru leaves, Ukyo wonders if it was right of him to disclose Melissa's whereabouts.

* * *

 **I'm trying to decide if I like how that chapter was written or not. Your thoughts? I want to hear them!**

 **Chapter 15 is going to be exciting. I mean, everyone's looking for Melissa and gathering in Wataru's room, so look forward to that :)**

 **You know the drill: I value your opinions, and I love seeing the poll results! Keep'em coming ^-^**

 **~ Melissa-Disney99**


	15. Chapter 15: Four Brothers, One Maid

Chapter 15: Four Brothers, One Maid

*Thursday late afternoon, May 15th, 2014*

I sit on Wataru's floor with toys surrounding me on all sides. I feel slightly lost, not quite sure what I was supposed to do. Currently, he was showing me his stuffed animal collection.

"Big brother Masaomi made this one just for me." The boy holds a blue bunny out towards me and with a big grin.

I smile back. "Really? That was very sweet of him."

"Do you think Masaomi is sweet?" Wataru asks, tilting his head. I pause; _what kind of question was that supposed to be?_

"Ah, well, I think he's very nice" I say, trying to cover up.

"Am I nice?"

I nod emphatically. "Oh yes, you're very nice too. Thank you for showing me your stuffed animals!"

"You're welcome!" He beams proudly, and I am once again touched by his childish ways. When I was his age, I never had the opportunity to take my time growing up. Rather, I had been thrust into situations where I _needed_ to have a mature attitude about things. In short, I had been forced to grow up.

"What should we do now?" Wataru asks, pursing his lips in thought. As I consider a good way to convince him to do his homework, there is an extremely loud knock at the door. The sound causes my heart to jump in my throat.

"Sorry" says a deep, muffled voice on the other side, followed by a much softer knock. The door opens, and I immediately catch sight of a mop of red hair.

"Yuusuke?" His head snaps up at the sound of his name.

"Oh! Senpai. I, uh…" He rubs the back of his neck. "Could you help me with something?

"Of course" I say, standing. Wataru remains seated on the floor, glancing between the two of us.

"Eh?! You can't take Big Sister away! We were going to spend the rest of today together. Weren't we, Big Sister?" His big, brown eyes begin to tear up, and I look up at Yuusuke for help. He, on the other hand, looks back at me with an expression just as panicked as mine.

Just as I'm about to tell Yuusuke that I can't help him, the sound of footsteps fills the room and I turn to see Subaru stride in. When our eyes meet, his face goes decidedly pink, and he pauses in his tracks.

"Melissa!" He shouts in a commanding voice; I blink in surprise.

"Ah, yes?"

"Will you, uh, practice basketball with me!" The question comes out sounding more like an order due to the fact that he's still shouting. My foot traces patterns on the carpet while I avoid making eye-contact.

"I'm not at all good with sports, but I guess I -"

"Melissa-senpai was just about to help me" Yuusuke cuts in.

"That's wrong! It's my turn to play with Big Sister Melissa!" Wataru whines. I feel like a deer caught in the headlights; _what was the right thing to say?!_

A soft knock at the open door draws all of our attention towards the hallway. I feel a sense of relief flood over me at the sight of the newcomer. _Finally, an older brother who can handle these type of situations!_

"Thank goodness, Hikaru!" I breath, rushing towards him. He grins, confusion and amusement evident on his face.

"Eh, and what's this? Is the Little Maid as happy to see me as I am to see her?" He holds his arms out for a hug, and I oblige without thinking. I inhale his scent, then look up at his tall frame and into his green eyes.

"Everyone needs me for something, and I don't know who to help!" I exclaim, feeling almost like a little girl asking for advice from a father; or in this case, an older brother. Hikaru smiles down at me, patting me comfortingly on the back.

"What if I also need your help, Melissa?" He asks, a suggestive glint in his eye.

"Oh no; not you too" I pout, pulling out of his arms. His laughs merrily at my reaction.

"Well, I guess that I'll just have to fix your problem if I want to get in line for your services. What's seems to be the trouble?"

I bring him into the room, and each brother tells Hikaru what they need me for, with Wataru being the most emphatic in his argument.

"Well now" Hikaru says, "I see that Melissa has already spent time with you, Wataru, so your wish has already been fulfilled." He holds up a hand before the youngest can disagree.

"Since there is still light outside, Melissa should go help Subaru first, then Yuusuke. After dinner, she can assist me." He winks at me, and I look down at my feet as I blush scarlet.

Subaru nods in agreement. "Come with me" he says quietly as he walks out of the room. I quickly follow before Wataru can protest.

* * *

*Thursday early dusk, May 15th, 2014*

"Oof!" The basketball hits me squarely in the stomach; I had tried to catch it when Subaru passed it to me, but had failed miserably. The ball rolls harmlessly to the ground as I place a hand on my middle.

"S-s-sorry!" He stammers, running over to me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think I'll live" I wheeze, weakly smiling up at him.

"I-I-I really didn't mean to hit you" he says, sitting cross-legged on the concrete basketball court and wiping his glistening forehead with a white hand towel; one I knew I'd have to launder the next day.

"It's totally fine. I can take a hit" I say, taking a seat next to him. An awkward silence occurs, neither of us sure what to say. Sighing deeply, I look up at the orange sky.

"You okay?" Subaru immediately asks, looking at me in a panic. I laugh lightly.

"Yes, I'm completely fine! But, don't you think the sky's pretty?" I lean back on my hands, gazing up at the fluffy, pink clouds with a dreamy expression in my eyes.

Subaru nods, leaning back too. "Uh, yeah. It's very, um… Pretty." I smile at his attempt to compliment nature. I could tell it wasn't something that he did often, and am touched that he was truly trying to talk with and understand me. Maybe someday, he and I could become friends.

* * *

*Thursday dusk, May 15th, 2014*

"Ugh! I still don't get it!" Yuusuke practically screams as he yanks his hair. He buries his face in his arms, and I do my best to suppress my giggles. I couldn't help it; he was just too comical.

"Here." I reach out and take the pencil out of his hand as we sit side-by-side at the small table in his bedroom. I scribble side-notes and figures on a piece of paper while explaining the reasoning behind the procedures and tricks to remembering the correct operations to use where and when.

"And that's how you solve it" I conclude, smiling at him as I place the pencil back in his hand. Yuusuke tilts his head as his forehead crinkles in concentration. After a long pause, his eyes suddenly light up.

"Oooh... So that's how it's done!" He immediately begins on the next mathematical problem as I watch on with ill-disguised amusement. I had been working with him for at least an hour, and I was only just now feeling like my explanations were getting through to him.

"Is that right?" He asks anxiously, showing me his final answer.

I nod excitedly. "Yes! That's exactly it!"

"Yeah!" He fist-pumps the air. "Thanks for helping me, Senpai!"

"You're very welcome!" I stand up and head to the door. "I'm going to go get dinner started now; I'm sure you don't need my help anymore." I send him a reassuring wave before exiting the room.

Arriving at the kitchen, I begin meal preparations with a joyful heart. I had started off the morning by seeing Masaomi off to work well before the rest of the family had greeted the day. After breakfast, I made lunches for Tsubaki and Azusa before they went to the final recording for the anime which I had unwittingly helped Tsubaki rehearse for so long ago. When they had left, I cleaned the bedrooms on the fourth floor while chatting with Ema and Juli, and then Iori and I had worked in the garden together.

Sighing contentedly and humming softly to myself, I fail to notice Ukyo walk in. As I turn to get an ingredient from one of the cupboards, I stop short to see him standing in the entrance.

"Oh!" I exclaim, eyes growing wide as I smile in surprise. "I didn't expect you to see you in the kitchen today. I thought that we agreed that I'd be in charge of Thursday meals."

He nods as he smiles kindly back at me. "We did; I was just wondering if you'd like any help."

I look back at the stove before shaking my head. "Thank you for checking, but I think I have everything covered." I watch as his expression falters. Curious about the mood change, I extend a subtle invitation, wondering if he'll take the bait.

"But, you know, I do think that I could use some good company."

* * *

 **That moment when you're in high demand and there just isn't enough of you to go around ;)**

 **After this, who do you ship Melissa with? Vote in the poll and share your opinion!**

 **Want updates on when the next chapter comes out? Follow this fan-fiction!**

 **Want to see drawings for the fan-fiction (and, if I EVER get around to it, a manga of it)? I'm on DeviantArt with the same username as here.**

 **Your thoughts on this chapter? Review and let me know!**

 **Thanks for your dedication and devotion,**

 **~ Melissa-Disney99**


	16. Chapter 16: First Kiss Scandal

**As the title implies, there is (obviously) kissing. This is just fluff, no smut/lemon/etc at all.**

 **And it's only a scandal if you get caught, right? ;)**

* * *

Chapter 16: First Kiss Scandal

*Thursday night, May 15th, 2014*

Needless to say, Ukyo did stay and talk with me while I prepared dinner. He had _casually_ leaned up against the counter and slightly crossed his ankles, which (whether he wanted it to or not) made him look subtly attractive. I secretly observed his facial expressions as we talked, and also noted the tone of voice that he'd use and the conversation subjects that he'd choose to bring up. Each of which provided proof to my ever-growing theory.

Now, after dinner was eaten and the dishes were cleaned, and I find myself walking nervously towards an empty room located on the second floor. I tentatively knock, well aware of the implications of a meeting at such a late hour.

"Ah, Melissa!" Hikaru answers the door, a rakish smile on his lips. He steps back, allowing me entrance to his room. I shyly walk in, ducking my head and avoiding eye contact with him at all costs. I hear him chuckle as the soft click of the door reaches my ears.

"Take a seat." In my peripheral vision, I can see his hand gesture towards his bed. Keeping my head low, I slowly take a seat and feel the mattress shift under his weight as he joins me.

"What did you need my help for?" I ask softly, staring down at my hands in my lap.

"I have an awful case of writer's block" he pouts. I risk a glance up at him to see that his green eyes are locked on me, and I quickly look away.

"Ah, I see. I don't see how I can -" I'm cut short when I feel strong arms drape themselves around my shoulders. I involuntarily stiffen when I feel his warm breath on my neck.

"H-H-Hikaru? What are you doing?" I stammer, glancing at the gratified look on his face as he inhales deeply.

"Receiving help for my writer's block" he says smoothly. "Now hush. Your smell is intoxicating, Ms. Tsukiyama." His voice is smooth, seductive, and strangely calming. His hand reaches up and gently strokes my cheek, sending chills down my spin. His lips lightly brush my neck. I instinctively close my eyes and my head tilts back slightly as my own lips part a bit. I feel him smile with satisfaction against my skin.

"That feels good, doesn't it?" He places a hand on my cheek and guides me to look at him. Our gazes lock, and I feel myself being pulled into his emerald green eyes; they were like a window to his soul.

"Melissa, has anyone ever told you just how beautiful your eyes are?" He asks softly, smiling. With those words, he has me under his spell. My heart races, and my subconscious yells at me that what was happening was wrong, though my heart wanted him to take complete control.

 _What are you doing?_ My brain shouts. All of this felt so wrong, yet at the same time, it somehow felt right. My heart throbs in my chest, and my thoughts swirl together as I attempt to form a logical sentence. Everything seems hazy; all I can focus on is Hikaru.

I finally whisper, "What are you going to do?"

"Does it matter?" He responds, mischief glinting dangerously in his eyes.

I gulp. "Um, kind of." My voice is breathy. Hikaru places a hand on the small of my back, pulling me closer to him. One of my hands reaches up to clutch at the front of his shirt. _What was this power which he had over me?_ My mind screams at me to leave the situation, but my heart tells me to stay. _Who should I listen to?_

"You still want to help me, don't you?" Hikaru asks. "You still want to help me get rid of my writer's block?"

I nod numbly. "Of course" I whisper.

"That's what I thought." His thumb lightly traces my lips, coming away red from my lipstick.

"Goodness, Melissa. You left a mark on me" he says, his brows furrowing a bit. My pulse quickens at his intense gaze.

"Sorry" I murmur.

"How sorry?" He asks.

"I-I-I don't know."

"Very sorry?"

"H-h-hai."

"Why don't you show me just how sorry you are?" He suggests.

"How?" He smirks. Then, without warning, the fourth eldest Asahina brother lowers his head as his lips meet mine. He swallows my gasp of surprise, and my eyes soon close as I fall captive to the sensation. My heart begins to beat at an abnormally fast pace, and butterflies fly rampant in my stomach. Dizziness and exhilaration fogs my mind, and all my limbs grow weak.

He lifts me onto his lap, and my hand tightens on his shirt. We pull out of the kiss, and both of us are breathing heavily. My gaze meets his, and I immediately drop my eyes. My cheeks go a brilliant scarlet. We stay there is silence, neither of us saying anything. I dare to look up at Hikaru, who is smiling triumphantly back down at me.

"Well, how was that?" He asks, not giving me much of a question to garner an intelligent response. I lean into his chest a little, mostly to hide my embarrassed face.

"It was... " _What was there to say?_ I had no words to express the mixed, conflicted emotions which were holding my heart captive in a vice-like grip. My body pleaded for more, my heart cried for no apparent reason, and my brain scolded my conscience for allowing such a stupid thing to happen.

"What am I supposed to say?" I murmur. Hikaru looks at me with a calculating stare in his eyes, and as if it were humanly possible, my cheeks reddened further.

"I didn't mean to… It's not that I…" I am unable finish my sentences as I scramble for safer grounds.

Hikaru chuckles softly. "No need to apologize, I should be thanking you. The writer's block is gone, you see." _Writer's block… Gone… Thanking me?_ My mind races to understand what he's saying. That's right; I was there to help him get rid of writer's block. I _wasn't_ there for a romantic rendezvous. I shake my head to try and clear the fog out of my brain. I needed to get my act together.

Clearing my throat, I say, "Well, I'm glad I was able to help." I move off of his lap and back onto the bed.

"Just to be clear, that was your first kiss, right?"

"Ah…"

"That's what I thought. You have helped me even more than you can imagine." I silently nod. The kiss; it was just for his novels. It meant nothing. He didn't have feelings for me. I didn't even think I had feelings for him. Why, then, was I feeling like my heart had just been ripped out of my chest?

"Melissa, did you really believe me when I said it was for my novels?"

"What else could it mean?" I murmur softly, then bite my lower lip. I couldn't face him; I just couldn't bring myself to look at him.

"We all love you, Melissa Tsukiyama." My head jerks up and I stare at him, stunned.

"Wait, what?"

"All of us brothers find interest in you. Isn't that what you've been observing in Ukyo?" I slowly nod as a thousand questions run through my head. _How did he know I was observing Ukyo?_

"Well my dear, sweet, little maid; that kiss was only to mark my place above the rest of my brothers. I have now assured myself a spot as front-runner in the game." He smiles mischievously, and I'm forced to blink a few times as I struggle to process his words.

"Game?" I question.

"Nothing for you to concern yourself with at the present moment" Hikaru softly replies, taking me into his arms again.

Fifteen minutes later, Hikaru closes the door to his bedroom and I walk down the hall towards the elevators in a bit of a daze. My thoughts are now more tangled than ever, and I rub my forehead in an attempt to ease the oncoming headache.

Eventually arriving at my bedroom door, I fumble with the lock before it finally clicks and I stumble into the room. Shutting the door behind me, I lean my back against it and slump down to the floor, pulling my legs to my chest. I sit there, curled into a ball, and lean my head against my knees to try and comfort myself. While in such a state of shock, I am completely unaware of the fresh, dark spot on my neck.

From those fifteen minutes between leaving his room and receiving my first kiss, my heart now felt one thing, but my brain said otherwise. _Which was right?_

* * *

The sound of footsteps pulls Louis out of his bedroom. Opening his door, he peers down the hall and spots Mai, who appears to be struggling with her own door. He's about to call out to her, but when he notices her disheveled hair and distracted appearance, he thinks twice.

Juli had mentioned he'd heard that Mai would be "helping" Hikaru tonight. The thought of the sweet, young woman in his brother's room caused Louis' heart to tighten. His mind immediately begins to sift through the many... things... that his cross-dressing brother could (or may) have done to the young, beautiful maid.

If the long-haired, unprincipled man had done anything to hurt Mai, Louis would do something about. And if Hikaru had done something to get ahead of everyone else and had taken away any chance of Melissa's affections, then Louis would see to it that Hikaru didn't remain in first place for long.

* * *

 **How many of you Hikaru x Melissa shippers fan-girled?**

 **I hope I delivered well, and rest assured that this won't be the last chapter that's like this. There WILL be more ;)**

 **Follow, favorite, review, and vote! Let me know if you enjoyed this chapter and what you'd like to see more of (and who with).**

 **~ Melissa-Disney99**


	17. Chapter 17: Cupid Uses Video Games

Chapter 17: Cupid Uses Video Games

*Friday late morning, May 16th, 2014*

I walk along the railing on the fifth floor with a wet rag and cleaning solution in a spray bottle. During breakfast this morning, I couldn't look Hikaru in the eyes and when Louis had asked me about the dark stain on my neck with a completely innocent expression on his face, Masaomi became concerned when I almost choked on my food.

As I wipe down the banister, I reflect on the past month since I had arrived. I hadn't seen the third triplet - Natsume - very much. On the days that he did come to the mansion, he mostly talked with Ema, the other two triplets, and occasionally Masaomi and the other older brothers. Ema had mentioned to me that his profession in video games took up a lot of his time, but I was determined to become better acquainted with him someday.

I hear the elevator ding, alerting me that someone has arrived at the fifth floor. Curiosity now peaked, I glance over my shoulder as my left hand pauses in its ministration to the metal. Almost everyone was at work while Ema, Yuusuke, Fuuto, and Wataru were at school.

A head of orange hair appears in my line of vision, and I smile at Natsume as he walks out of the elevator. Though he looks tired, he smiles vaguely back at me when he catches me looking at him.

"Good morning, Natsume Asahina" I greet him, turning to face him completely and bowing. He nods his head in acknowledge.

"Good morning, Melissa Tsukiyama." He sits down on the green sofa, holding his head in his hands.

"Um, Natsume? Is everything okay?" I ask, setting the rag down and taking a seat next to him. He lifts his head and nods.

"Yeah, it's just work."

"Have you been getting enough rest?" My voice is filled with concern. He smiles wryly at me.

"You know, you sound just like Masaomi when you say that."

I flush. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't apologize!" He reaches out and tousles my hair. At the touch of a man's hand on my head, I visibly flinch as I'm launch back in time to the day when Fuuto had antagonized me by pulling my hair. Though Fuuto and I were now reasonably friendly, the thought of that day still sent chills up my spine. Natsume appears to notice my discomfort and immediately retracts his hand.

"Oh! I'm sorry." We look away from each other and sit in an awkward silence.

"It's fine" I finally murmur. Staring straight ahead at the wall, I comment on the situation. "Funny, huh? I really should be over it by now." I laugh in derision.

"There's nothing wrong with you remembering the hurt" Natsume says seriously, looking at me. "In fact, you'll be able to keep stuff like that from ever happening again."

I sigh. "I know; I just wish that it didn't make me so, you know, jumpy." Sensing that the mood was taking a downward spiral, I decide to change topic.

"So, Ema told me that you work for a big name video game company?"

He blinks. "Uh, yeah. That was a bit unexpected, but…"

"I played some of your games with Ema."

"Oh, did you?" He looks a bit surprised, and his eyes seem to light up a fraction.

I nod. "I did. They're something I never really had a chance to play when I was younger, so it was nice to let loose with them." I smile at him, and he grins back.

"I'm glad you enjoyed them. I send Ema samples of games that are still in the works, but I'm sure she'd be willing to play them with you if you asked."

"If I had the time, I would definitely play them with her." At this point, I had completely forgotten about my cleaning duties and the two of us are sitting comfortably close as we continue to chat.

"I've taken Ema to a video game arcade a few times. Maybe we'll have to go together sometime." This suggestion throws me off a bit. It came at complete random, but I guess that's what I get for mentioning his profession out of the blue.

"That would be great! Then we could get to know each other better. I haven't really had the time to talk to you like I have had with the other brothers, so it would be nice to just…" I trail off, realizing what I'm saying and that I'm simply babbling like some unprincipled child.

"I'm sorry, I said too much." My cheeks flush slightly and I start to nervously play with my hair.

Natsume shakes his head. "There's nothing to be sorry about. Really now, you've got to stop being so apologetic all the time."

"Thanks, I'll try to be better about that" I say wryly, nudging him in the shoulder. He seems uncertain about the playful, physical contact, which puzzles me considerably.

"What?" I ask, look at him in question. "Did I do something wrong."

"No, it's just that…"

"Just what?"

"I've never really, you know" he nudges me back, "done _that_ with anyone before."

"Eh?! You've never messed around?!" I stare at him in shock. He looks away and rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Well… Not really."

I shake my head. "I'll stop being sorry when you stop being such a stiff grown up." Grabbing his hand, I pull him to his feet.

"Come on; I'm going to teach you how us young people are supposed to act nowadays."

* * *

Natsume willingly follows the short girl, surprised at the boldness of her actions, the sudden change in her personality, and the overall energy that seems to radiate off of her. He could now understand what his other brothers seemed to see in her; even Masaomi had hinted in his attractions towards Ms. Tsukiyama.

Melissa pulls at his hand as they walk around the city streets. She pauses in her tracks, then turns to look up at him with a question shining in her big, brown eyes.

"Uh, well…" Her voice trails off and she smiles in embarrassment as she releases his hand.

"Yes?"

"I actually don't know where we're going."

"You don't?" Natsume looks at her in amusement. She was spunky, but she now appeared to be quite air-headed too.

"No, I don't. You must think me stupid and immature" she says, looking somewhat disheartened.

"Not at all; where would you like to go?"

"To teach you how to be young again? I honestly don't have a clue." Her cheeks go crimson and her fingers twirl a strand of hair around them. Natsume does his best to focus on the situation at hand rather than what her fingers were doing. Then he remembered; _her fingers_!

"Hey, Fuuto said that you play the piano."

"Hai. But not since he found me in the music store, and even longer since then. I never had the money to afford to buy a place of my own that was big enough for a piano, let alone a piano itself."

"So what you're saying is…"

"I'm pretty rusty." She fidgets uncomfortably, causing Natsume's lips to twitch.

"I'll decide on whether you're rusty or not. Follow me." He takes her hand in his and starts to walk at a brisk pace.

"Where are we going?" She asks, doing her best to keep up with his long legs.

"To the music store."

"Huh?!"

* * *

 **Before you complain that Natsume is out of character, I personally feel that he'd be the big brother type towards a character like Melissa. He'd be blunt and straight forward, but would also be kind and give good advice when the time called for it.**

 **Anyway, stay tuned for Chapter 18. Review and let me know what you thought of the Natsume x Melissa interaction and what you hope to see happen next!**

 **Favorite, follow, and vote as well. Your input helps build the story!**

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


	18. Chapter 18: The Trouble with Ukyo

Chapter 18: The Trouble with Ukyo

*Friday early afternoon, May 16th, 2014*

Natsume seats me at the piano bench and hands me a book. I flip through a few pages until I find one that looks reasonably playable.

"Well?" He asks, looking expectantly at me. I take a deep breath, then exhale as I place the book on the music stand. I set my fingers on the ivory keys, close my eyes for a moment, and then open them as I begin to play. Music fills the small shop and the delicate sounds begin to calm my racing heart.

After completing that song, I turn to look up at Natsume. His face is a mixture of shock and awe, causing me to blush as he stares at me in wonder.

"Like I said" I say, embarrassed. "It's been awhile since I've played for someone."

"What do you mean 'rusty'?" He asks, incredulously. Shaking his head, he mutters something under his breath as he reaches for the book. He flips through its pages before picking out another song, then sets the music back onto the stand in front of me.

"Can you play that one?"

I place my fingers on the keys again and start to play. This time, I make multiple mistakes and my cheeks grow warmer at every incorrect note that I hit. About halfway through, I remove my hands from off the piano and scoot the bench back.

"I'm sorry, but I can't continue" I say, bowing to him. "This song's difficulty is beyond my sight reading abilities. It would take me months to be able to perfect it, and I certainly don't have that sort of time." I can't bring myself to look him in the face, feeling ashamed for quitting.

"Hey, it's fine. I understand."

"You do?" I look up at Natsume to see that he's nodding with a kind expression in his eyes. A wave of relief washes over me and I smile weakly at him. He gently guides me out of the music shop as we walk back towards Sunrise Residence.

"I'm sorry we didn't do anything fun" I say softly.

"Didn't I say for you to stop being so apologetic?" He asks, lighting a cigarette.

I nod. "Well yes, you did. But I didn't get a chance to teach you how to loosen up, so isn't that promise invalid now?"

"What makes you think I didn't learn how to loosen up?" I look up at him with big eyes to see that he's smiling as he takes a long drag off of his cigarette.

* * *

*Friday afternoon, May 16th, 2014*

"Melissa?" I stop mid-sentence at the sound of Ukyo's surprised voice. He's standing next to the railing, holding a wet rag.

"I need to talk with Masaomi before I leave" Natsume says, gently pushing me out of the elevator and closing the door before I can protest. I slowly turn to look at Ukyo, doing my best to force a smile.

"I can explain -" I start to say. Ukyo only shakes his head, smiling.

"There's no need to explain" he says kindly, walking over and handing me the cleaning cloth. "I couldn't help but overhear the last bit of yours and Natsume's conversation before you left."

"But I really shouldn't have left my duties. I'm surprised I haven't been fired yet!" It was meant to be a serious observation; I truly didn't mean it as a joke, it just came out sounding like one. I let out a small, forced laugh and Ukyo joins me with the same unnatural merth.

"Honestly though, I'm not very reliable" I say, smiling weakly up at him. "You and your family are definitely being too friendly and loose with me."

"So you think we're being too loose with our maid?" His voice is playful enough, though a look suggesting otherwise passes over Ukyo's face as he slightly raises an eyebrow.

I shrug, feigning innocence. "You know, I truthfully couldn't say! Anyway, I should really get back to my duties..." I laugh nervously and take a few steps backwards. Unexpectedly, the back of my knees hit the edge of the couch, causing me to fall onto the green sofa as my legs come a good four or five inches off the ground.

"Ouch" I groan, wincing a bit as I rub my head.

"Melissa! Are you alright?" Ukyo is kneeling at my side in an instant. I nod, doing my best to sit up on the sofa.

"I think I'm fine; it'll leave a bruise at most" I say, my bigger concern being focused more on smoothing down my short, black skirt rather than my ultimate health. The hem of the skirt had slipped up inappropriately high when I had tripped, and heat rushes to my cheeks as I realize just how high it had actually gone.

Of course, with the type of luck that I'm having today, Ukyo is completely and utterly oblivious to my discomfort and the position that we would appear to be in if caught by a passer-by. Rather, he tries to keep me lying on my back while I struggle to sit up against his well-meaning, though still annoyingly forceful, actions.

"Melissa, just stay on your back" he says kindly. "Don't worry about your duties at the moment. You can resume work after you've rested." He lays a gentle hand on my cheek and my heart begins to race uncontrollably.

"Um, well, I think I've rested enough" I say nervously, my cheeks burning scarlet as I once again try to sit up.

"Sh." Ukyo places a quieting finger on my lips. He brings his face extremely close to mine and I instinctively move away from him. He wraps me up in a tender embrace as he moves to sit on the sofa. I tense in his arms at the intimate contact and the closure of space between us.

 _This can't be happening!_ My mind screams at me. One day, I'm a normal maid helping out around the house and then suddenly, I'm the new plaything for a bunch of perverted, almost sadistic brothers.

I abruptly pull out of Ukyo's arms, and thankfully, he doesn't stop me. Standing up and brushing my skirt down, I turn and bow to him.

"I'm sorry, Ukyo" I apologize, my voice shaky. "The last time I let my guard down, my emotions got so tangled up that I'm still trying to decide where my heart belongs. Please understand that I do not wish to hurt you or your feelings. I'm sure that you do not wish to hurt me or my feelings either." I send him one last, apologetic, teary-eyed glance before I step through the elevator doors.

* * *

Ukyo watches her depart, blinking in stunned silence. _What in the world had possessed him to do such a thing?_

He adjusts his glasses and straightens his striped tie. Smoothing out his black dress shirt, he rises from the green sofa and picks up the abandoned cleaning supplies. He would return them to the supply closet for Ms. Tsukiyama, since it was obvious that she would not be returning to the fifth floor for a while.

He assures himself that she will most likely continue her daily duties, if only to distract her mind from his wayward actions. If his assumption were true - and he was rarely mistaken in these matters - then she could be found on the fourth floor, wiping down the windows. She would then move methodically down to the third floor, then the second, and finally ground level before she returned to the fifth floor to prepare dinner.

Sighing, Ukyo places the supplies on a shelf in the closet before shutting the door. He didn't mean to scare her away, neither did he mean to hurt her. Melissa always appeared so strong in her defenses that he must have forgotten that she was also a woman and therefore, delicate and full of powerful emotions - emotions that he had yet to comprehend.

He takes the elevator down to the fourth level and locks himself away in his bedroom. Having nothing better to do besides mentally rebuking himself, Ukyo opens his briefcase and pulls out paperwork that doesn't need to be done for another three months. He stares down at the figures on the pages; however, he finds it difficult to concentrate on them.

Shaking his head in defeat, Ukyo leans back in his chair and stretches as a groan escapes his lips. He runs a hand through his now messy, blonde hair as he contemplates what he can do to fix the relationship with Melissa which he had unwittingly destroyed.

Ukyo was - by no means - an expert with women; in fact, he always seemed to find himself in much the same state as Subaru when it came to the female population. The very idea of asking Kaname, or (heaven forbid) even Hikaru for help was far beyond anything Ukyo could stomach. No, he would have to either ask someone else for advice or come up with his own plan.

But which brother was good with women and _didn't_ irritate Ukyo to the point of insanity? He rubs his chin in thought; and then it came to him. There was one brother who hadn't interacted much with Melissa; admired from afar? Yes. Voiced or acted upon the admiration? No. This brother, Ukyo knew, was reliable, and he would be the perfect man for the job.

* * *

 **This was probably one of my pet chapters. I really enjoyed writing it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it too!**

 **Does anyone feel sorry for Ukyo? Anyone against him? Review and tell me your thoughts!**

 **Which brother could Ukyo possibly be asking for help? Make a guess, and let's see who's right ^-^**

 **Follow, favorite, review, and vote. And look forward to the next chapter; it's going to be epic.**

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


	19. Chapter 19: The Final Straw

Chapter 19: The Final Straw

*Friday early dusk, May 16th, 2014*

During dinner, Ukyo notices Melissa's quiet demeanor as she sits near the window. Though they had told her they'd be willing to add another chair to the table long ago, she had insisted that she enjoyed the view.

As Melissa gathers up the dirty dishes, Louis comes over to her and asks her something. Ukyo doesn't catch what it is, but Melissa's face seems a bit shocked at what Louis had asked. She shakes her head and quietly murmurs something, and then Louis follows her into the kitchen.

With her out of the room, Ukyo goes into the family room and spots Azusa on the couch. He takes a seat next to the black-haired triplet, and they sit in companionable silence for a while.

"Do you need something?" Azusa finally asks, looking over at his older brother. Ukyo didn't usually keep company with him unless the lawyer had a favor to ask.

Ukyo sighs. "I do."

"Does it concern Melissa Tsukiyama?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

Ukyo recounts to Azusa what had happened earlier that day. The latter listens attentively, nodding his head in understanding but showing little emotion besides that. When Ukyo finishes his story, Azusa leans back against the couch cushions, takes a deep breath, then exhales slowly.

"So, you tried to force your affections on her. Don't you think that's something Tsubaki would normally do?" He asks; it comes out as more of a statement, though un-accusatory. Ukyo buries his head in his hands.

"I don't know what I was thinking -"

"You want me to help you out of this mess, don't you?" Azusa cuts in, once again making it sound more like a statement rather than a question.

"I was hoping you would" comes the muffled response. Azusa rises from the couch.

"Sorry, but I can't help; unfortunately for you, I too, find myself having feelings for the girl. To help someone else win her over would be betrayal to myself, and that's just not something I'm willing to do."

"Wait a moment" Ukyo says defensively, lifting his head from his hands and standing up to his full stature. "Won't you at least give me some advice?!"

"I'd like to reserve that for personal use" Azusa replies coolly. Ukyo sighs in exasperation at his brother's obstinacy.

"You speak of personal use and yet, you have not acted on your feelings at all, now have you? How will she know that you care about her?"

"I'm waiting for the right time, place, and moment to tell her. Unlike some other brothers that I know."

Ukyo opens his mouth to respond, but the sound of escalating voices coming from the kitchen gives him reason to pause. They exchange glances before moving quietly towards that part of the house. As they approach the arched entrance that leads into the kitchen, Ukyo and Azusa hesitate at the sound of Melissa's pain-filled voice.

"I can't believe you, Louis! First it's Hikaru, then Ukyo, and now you too? I thought you were different; I thought you could be trusted. I thought we were friends!"

"Melissa, I -"

"Don't touch me!"

"Please, let me explain."

A resounding _smack!_ echoes through the now eerily silent home. Ukyo and Azusa quickly move into view, standing in the entryway. The sight that greets them, however, puts a look of shock on both their faces. Louis stands in front of the short maid with a red handprint distinctly marking his face, and Melissa stands before him with a look of shock crossing over her features as tears fill her eyes.

When the young woman spots the eaves-droppers, she tries to stammer out an explanation. At that moment words fail her, so she does the only thing she knows how to do in order to protect her dignity: Melissa ducks her head and runs out of the room as a sob escapes her. Ukyo turns to look at Louis, who wears an expression of shame and regret on his face.

"I was only trying to show her how I feel" Louis says softly, his violet eyes filled with remorse. "I didn't mean to hurt her."

"I shouldn't have pushed her earlier" Ukyo mumbles under his breath. Azusa only shakes his head in disappointment as he pushes his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

"I thought the two of you knew better" he says coldly. "Apparently, I was mistaken." He leaves the kitchen, leaving the two men standing in silence. Azusa goes to Tsubaki's room and raps lightly on the door with his knuckles.

"Come in" comes the soft reply. Azusa opens the door to see Tsubaki sitting on his bed, appearing to be deep in thought.

"Tsubaki." The black-haired triplet joins his brother.

"What brings you here, Azu?" Tsubaki asks, worry tinting his voice. Azusa shrugs in defeat.

"I just thought I'd warn you that we may be in danger of losing Melissa."

"What?!"

* * *

*Friday early evening, May 16th, 2014*

"I assume that you've thought this through?" Masaomi looks at me with concern in his eyes. I firmly press my lips together with a decisive nod.

"Yes, I've made my choice." My voice is flat and emotionless as I suppress any signs of frailty.

"I'm truly sorry that some of us have caused you trouble" Masaomi says apologetically, standing up from the desk he's been sitting at and walking over to me. He takes my hands gently in his and looks straight into my eyes with a kind expression.

"We can a bit overbearing at times." I smirk wryly as I remove my hands from his grip.

"I've noticed."

"Will you at least wait until June 6th? It will have been exactly two months since you arrived" he says, returning to his seat and gesturing to the small couch in his bedroom.

"Sure; I think I can hold out that long" I reply, accepting his offer and sitting down.

"When do you plan on breaking the news to them?"

I pause; I honestly hadn't thought that far. I had only made a decision and come to Masaomi about it. What happened afterwards was still very foggy in my mind.

"I'm not sure. Probably a day or so before the 6th."

He nods. "That may be a wise decision." Silence follows as I contemplate my next question. I want to make sure I word it correctly without it sounding as if I were complaining. Taking a deep breath, I look squarely at my employer.

"Why do you want me to wait so long?"

Masaomi shrugs. "I'd rather have things level out evenly. It will also make our finances a bit easier to manage."

I nod. "Sounds reasonable enough."

"Melissa?"

"Hai?" Masaomi joins me on the couch and looks at me with a serious expression.

"If it will change anything, I have feelings for you also." I'm surprised by this sudden confession; _what brought on such a declaration?_

"Ah…"

"You don't have to reply, or even return my affections. Just know that I care for you; we _all_ care for you." I nod dumbly, finding myself at a loss for words. Silence once again falls over the two of us, and I look down at my hands.

"Melissa?" My head shoots up at the sound of my name in much the same manner as it had done the day that I had arrived; the first time he and I met.

"Yes?"

"What will you do?"

"After June 6th?" I ask; he nods. "I'm not sure."

"I'll be willing to help you in any way that I can."

I shake my head. "There's no need to worry about me. I am a grown woman, after all." I smile weakly up at him, but he doesn't look convinced.

"I promise I'll contact you if there's an issue."

"I hope you will." Rising, Masaomi walks me to his bedroom door. He opens it for me, and I step out into the hallway.

"Melissa?" I turn to look at him; he's said my name three times now.

"Yes, Masaomi?"

"I'll miss you."

Later, I slump against my bedroom door. I feel completely drained, and my thoughts are scattered. I bury my face in my hands and let out a choked sob as the emotions which have been building up inside me now surface. There is now only one question in my mind: What will I do without Masaomi Asahina in my life?

* * *

 **Two words: Plot twist.**

 **Before you get mad at me and complain that things are moving too fast:** **Yes, I'm well aware that it's only been about a month and a half, and yes, I'm sorry that it's going quickly.**

 **I have other stories to write (and are in dire need of attention), so things are beginning to progress a bit quicker. But have no fear! Tons of ideas are constantly running through my head, so I promise that I won't leave you guys feeling disappointed.**

 **Anyway, has this chapter changed your perspective on some of the characters? How so?**

 **Review, favorite, follow, and vote! :)**

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


	20. Chapter 20: Surprises Both Good and Bad

Chapter 20: Surprises Both Good and Bad

*Wednesday morning, May 21st, 2014*

I sweep the walkway outside of Sunrise Residence and close my eyes against the warmth of the summer sun. Today, the schools were out for a long weekend and the Asahina family had planned a trip to the beach within that time. Even I, who would not be participating, could feel the excited energy that charged the morning air. Everyone in the family would be going, including Natsume, Yuusuke, and Hikaru; it was to be a full-out family vacation.

"Morning, Melissa-senpai."

"Good morning, Yuusuke." I wave as he carries his suitcase past me, followed by a struggling Wataru.

"Melissa" Subaru greets, carrying a duffel bag and pulling a suitcase.

"Melissa!" Tsubaki waves excitedly at me as Azusa walks calmly alongside his brother. They too, are each carrying a piece of luggage. Louis walks past me quietly, avoiding eye contact. Hikaru follows behind and winks at me, causing me to avert my gaze.

"Good morning, Little One." I jump at the sudden voice in my ear.

"Kaname! You scared me!" I scold, playfully shoving at his arm. He grins broadly.

"My sincerest apologizes, Ms. Melissa." He takes my hand in his, plants a soft kiss on my knuckles, then walks off. I shake my head at him, knowing all too well that I can't be too mad; he is who he is, after all.

"Good morning!" Ema smiles sweetly at me, clutching tightly at her bag.

"Thank you! And good morning to you." I return the smile as she walks past me.

"Eh? What are you doing just sweeping there?" Fuuto says, lazily dragging his suitcase behind him. "You should be busy saying goodbye to me."

I smirk. "Only in your dreams."

"Melissa." The soft, airy voice can only come from one person. I turn to see Iori standing behind me.

"Oh! Iori, good morning" I say, a bit surprised. He hands me a flower with the meaning of joy and excitement, and I accept it graciously. Ukyo walks past the two of us, his head down.

"Good morning, Melissa." Masaomi says, taking Iori's place beside me as Iori leaves. I smile up at the tall man.

"Good morning, Masaomi."

"Will you walk with me?" I feel my cheeks warm slightly.

"Sure…?" I follow him down to the curb just in time to see Natsume pull up in his car.

"Melissa" he greets warmly, smiling slightly. He gets out and begins to load luggage into his vehicle.

"Ah, this is going to be fun!" Tsubaki remarks, sticking his hands in his jeans back pockets and staring up at the sky. He and Azusa load into Natsume's car while the others join Masaomi.

"I'll be sure and take good care of the mansion while you guys are gone" I tell Azusa, who is sitting in the front seat.

"Eh? And what makes you think you're staying home?" Tsubaki asks through the open backseat door as Iori moves to stand behind me.

"I hadn't been invited, so I just assumed that - Kya!" Tsubaki reaches out and grabs ahold of my hand, yanking me into the car before Iori climbs in and closes the door behind me.

"What are you doing?!" I ask as Natsume begins to drive away. "I _can_ seatbelt myself, at any cost" I add as Tsubaki reaches across me for the seat belt. I push his hands away as I quickly click the metal buckle into place.

"I said it before; this is going to be fun!" Tsubaki laughs merrily.

"Yeah, I just didn't know I'd be involved in it" I reply sullenly.

"Are you upset?" Iori asks me, looking genuinely concerned. I shake my head and smile vaguely.

"Not especially; I'm just really, really startled. I didn't even pack anything, so -"

"No need to worry about that" Azusa cuts in. "We've got that covered."

"Huh?!"

* * *

*Wednesday early afternoon, May 21st, 2014*

"The scenery is beautiful!" I exclaim as Natsume parks his car at the Asahina's beach house. My eyes glimmer with excitement as I climb out of the car. I gaze off towards the horizon as the sun glints off the sea, causing the water to sparkle hypnotically. Waves lap against the sandy shores, and I close my eyes as a salty breeze blows into my face.

"It's lovely, isn't it?" I jump at the sound of Kaname's voice next to me.

"Ah, yes" I stammer, fighting to regain my composure. "I was just commenting on its beauty."

"You, yourself, complement the view wonderfully" he says, his voice a slow, deep drawl. I roll my eyes and pout a little.

"Don't you go starting on the stupid love-sickness thing too" I say, looking up at him. "I don't think my nerves can handle much more of that stuff." I follow the others inside the beach house, leaving him alone outside.

"Here you are." Masaomi hands me the duffel bag which I had seen Subaru carrying earlier. "We took the liberty of getting you some things."

"You really didn't need to do that" I say, smiling as I accept the bag. "But, thank you." He bends down and places his lips near my ear.

"Consider this as a going away party in your honour." Standing up straight, he walks away, leaving me feeling a bit disheartened. I go to my designated room and close the door behind me. Placing the bag onto the bed, I unzip it to find a fashionable, two-piece bathing suit and a ruffled cover up; both of which are in my favorite shade of blue.

I quickly change into the articles of clothing and blush a bit as I look at myself in the mirror. The blue was very flattering on me, and I can't help but wonder which of the brothers were responsible for the purchase. I find a beach towel, beach bag, and a pair of sandals in the duffel bag as well as other necessities. I pack the beach bag before heading out of my room and joining the others.

* * *

*Wednesday early dusk, May 21st, 2014*

"That was so much fun!" I exclaim as we file back into the beach house. "I've always wanted to go to the beach." I giggle a bit at the memory of the water fight that we had had.

"I told you that you'd have fun" Tsubaki says, smirking triumphantly. I smile up at him.

"You were right. It was great knocking you over with the volleyball!"

"She's got you there!" Yuusuke says, laughing heartily as Tsubaki pouts.

"Dinner's ready" Ukyo calls out from the kitchen. My once joyous mood seems to fade slightly at the sound of his voice. The lawyer had stayed behind to prepare the meal and do some work which he said needed to be done. Of course, none of us believed him, but nobody said anything to him about it either.

After everyone sits down and begins to eat, Masaomi - who I am sitting next to - looks at me with meaning in his eyes. He leans down and whispers something in my ear, causing me to bite my bottom lip in fear. I knew it had to be done, and I also knew that I wouldn't get any better time to do it than now.

I glance up at Masaomi, meet his steady gaze with one of my own, and nod. He understands my response and clears his throat loudly. The chatter around the table stops, and all eyes are on him.

"Melissa has something she'd like to say to you all" he says with very little emotion in his voice and expression. Everyone turns to look at me as I stand, and I blush as my heartbeat echoes loudly in my ears. I take a deep, calming breath before speaking.

"I'd like to thank you for welcoming me as an unofficial member of your family" I say, smiling kindly. "I really enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you. Your warmth and kindness has done more for me than you could possibly understand." My voice starts to choke up as tears form in my eyes.

"I've had a pretty rough time of it, lately" I say, looking down at my hands. "But please, don't think that it's any one of your guys' faults." By now, tears have begun to stream down my cheeks.

"I've thought this through, and I wasn't going to say anything until much later. But I guess now is just as good as any."

"Everyone" I say, looking up at each of them in turn, "I have decided to resign from my position as maid for the Asahina and Hinata household."

* * *

 **Please don't kill me! /hides in a corner/**

 **How many of you saw that coming?**

 **Review, favorite, follow, and still continue to vote; it means a lot to me!**

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


	21. Chapter 21: Bittersweet Farewell

Chapter 21: Bittersweet farewell

*Wednesday dusk, May 21st, 2014*

Needless to say, the dining room falls silent before erupting into a state of panic. Yuusuke and Fuuto spring to their feet, looking at me with angry, grieved eyes. Wataru begins to cry as he yells that he wants "Big Sister to stay," and Ema attempts to calm him through her own tears. Similar stunned reactions come from the other brothers, but the first to make physical contact with me is Iori.

"Melissa? Why are you leaving?" He cups my chin in his hands and looks deep into my eyes. I can see the hurt that I had caused welling up inside of him. Looking away, I shake my head sadly.

"I just feel that it's the best for me" I respond softly. There's a long pause between us.

"You'll stay in contact, won't you?" His voice is pleading.

"I promised Masaomi that I would." Once again, silence between us.

"Big Sister! Don't leave us!" Wataru cries, running over and throwing his arms around my waist. I hug him tightly and bury my face in his light-colored hair as our tears mix together.

"I wish I could stay" I murmur, trying to steady my voice. "I only wish..."

"You will be greatly missed" Natsume says, standing up and placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "When do you plan on leaving?"

"I told Masaomi that I would wait until June 6th so that it would be an even two months."

"You still have about three weeks?" I nod in answer to Natsume's question.

"Yes; just enough time to say proper goodbyes and complete unfinished business."

"It's also enough time for her to find a place to stay" Masaomi adds, his voice quiet.

"Then we'll just have to make sure that Melissa-senpai finds a good place to hold up" Yuusuke says, determination flashing in his eyes.

"Yeah! We'll make sure that she's taken care of" Tsubaki adds, catching on to Yuusuke's plan.

"You don't have to worry about that" I say immediately. "I am capable of looking out for myself…"

"Nonsense" Ukyo cuts in. "We'll be glad to assist you." I notice that he's back to the stiff, professional-like demeanor which he had had before we had gotten to know each other.

 _Had Ukyo not tried to be intimate with me, he and I would still be able to talk easily with one another. Had Louis not tried to kiss me while we were alone in the kitchen, I wouldn't be leaving. Had Hikaru not left his mark in the first place, the other two incident's wouldn't have occurred..._

I shake my head to clear it of such negative thoughts. What did happen, happened; there wasn't anything anyone could do to change the past and fix the hurt. In any case, leaving was my decision, not theirs. I look straight into Ukyo's eyes and smile.

"Well then, thank you for your willingness to help."

* * *

*Friday morning, June 6th, 2014*

*Note: Kaname is now 30 yrs old*

"It's okay, Big Sister; I've got it!" I run down the walkway towards Wataru, who is attempting to carry my suitcase to the car for me.

"Wataru! It has wheels!" I call out to him, laughter and worry in my voice. "Be careful!" Of course, he trips. Just as he falls, I reach him and stabilize both him and the heavy luggage.

"Thank you" he says sweetly. I smile at the sweet young boy who I have grown to love so much. I was supposed to have a little brother before that fateful accident; Wataru had helped fill that void in my heart, if only temporarily. Out of impulse, I wrap him up in a tight embrace.

"I'm going to miss you" I say softly.

"I'm going to miss you too, Big Sister." His voice is also soft, but has a somewhat mature tone as well. I laugh a bit as tears come to my eyes. Pulling away, I place my hands on his shoulders and look him squarely in the eyes.

"You're growing up" I tell him gently. "Keep listening to your brothers, and you'll end up becoming a fine, young gentleman." I place a loving, maternal-like hand on his cheek before grabbing the handle of my suitcase and walking towards the street with Wataru trailing close behind me.

Waiting for me at the curb are the rest of the brothers. Natsume takes my suitcase from me and places it in the back of his car. I meet Azusa's gaze and feel my cheeks burn. Last night, he had confessed his love to me. He hadn't been forceful like Ukyo, but the blow was still there. I had told him that I was flattered, but had ultimately declined.

"Thank you so much for giving me a job and a place to stay" I tell them, smiling.

"It was our pleasure" Masaomi says.

"Please, do visit us soon" Louis says softly. While Azusa had troubled me last night, Louis and I had made up with one another.

"We'll be looking forward to seeing you!" Tsubaki says, a grin spreading onto his face.

"Don't bother to write; you'll be too busy for it anyway" Fuuto says grumpily.

"I can come over for help, right?" Yuusuke asks anxiously. I laugh.

"Of course!"

"Stay safe" Ukyo says, adjusting his glasses.

"Thank you, I will."

"We love you Big Sister!" Wataru exclaims.

"I'll miss all of you" I respond.

"Feel free to call me if you need anything" Kaname says.

"And don't forget that I'll worry about you" Hikaru adds.

"G-g-good luck!" Subaru shouts, embarrassed.

"You have our support" Azusa says. I nod my gratitude as a tear slips down my cheek. Ema steps forward with Juli perched on her shoulder.

"I think I'll miss you the most" I tell her as we embrace. "You were that close friend that I never really had growing up." She looks a bit surprised, then smiles at me.

"It was wonderful getting to know you" she says.

"You'll stay in contact?"

"Yes, of course."

With one final wave, Iori and I climb into Natsume's car. The ride is quiet, none of us wanting to speak or allow the moment to end. Fifteen minutes later, we arrive at the apartment complex which the Asahina brothers had tracked down for me. The place was large and spacious, but also extremely affordable. I had also gone job hunting a few days ago and now have multiple offers and available opportunities.

Natsume carries my suitcase to the third floor. Iori opens the door for us, and I feel the breath catch in my throat; I hadn't been with them when they had selected the place. It's white-washed walls glisten in the morning sunlight, and the entirety of the place is completely furnished. Masaomi warned me that he and the others had taken the liberty of furnishing it for me, however, I can't help but feel that they went a bit overboard in their lavish efforts.

Setting down my suitcase, Natsume places a hand on my shoulder. I look up at him to see that he's smiling vaguely in a similar manner to the one he had given me on the day we had spent time together.

"Melissa, my apartment is not far from here. Just know you can always come to me if you need anything."

"Thank you, Natsume." He nods before walking out the door.

I hear footsteps and turn to see Iori standing behind me with a bouquet of flowers. He places the bouquet in my hands, kisses my knuckles, and then departs. Left alone, I look down at the flowers and notice they are a mixture of pink and red carnations.

Their meanings: "My heart longs for you" and "I will never, ever forget."

* * *

 **Don't cry yet; it's not quite over. I didn't want to upload this chapter until I could fully complete the story (you're welcome), so you don't have to wait too long (a few seconds at most).**

 **Anyway, review and favorite all y'all.**

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


	22. Epilogue

Epilogue

*Friday afternoon, June 6th, 2014*

"It will be strange not seeing her every morning" Kaname comments as the family sits in the living room on the fifth floor.

"And now we're all back to having daily chores again" Tsubaki adds.

"I miss Big Sister" Wataru whimpers quietly.

"All of us will miss her" Ema says comfortingly, wrapping her arms around the young boy's shoulders.

"What did you do about that purchase you ordered for Melissa?" Azusa asks Natsume. The latter shrugs matter-of-factly.

"I made the obvious decision."

"And that was?" Yuusuke asks.

"I changed the shipping address."

"Will it fit?" Fuuto asks.

"It should; we _did_ choose a rather large apartment complex for her, did we not?"

"Natsume has a point" Masaomi says. "We wanted to make sure she'd have enough space."

"I wonder what her reaction will be when she sees it" Louis says. The others nod in agreement, each envisioning what the young woman's reaction would be.

* * *

Melissa wanders her apartment, admiring the expensive looking furniture and laughing softly to herself. She had told them not to worry, and yet, they had completely disregarded what she had said.

After checking out her bedroom, she returns to the living room and notices a large piece of furniture which she seemed to have missed when she had first walked in. It's covered in a large piece of white cloth, looking rather mysterious next to the rest of the home. Curious, she walks over and pulls a bit at the fabric, causing it to slip easily and elegantly off the furniture.

Dropping the bouquet which she had been carrying around, a hand comes to stifle a gasp as Melissa gazes starry-eyed at the black, sleek, upright piano. It shines with a newness that shows it unused nature, and as she lifts the lid, the ivory keys twinkle invitingly at her, tempting her to play them.

Sitting on the music stand is a book along with an envelope addressed to her. Melissa picks up the envelope and opens it to find a letter inside. She unfolds the paper and eagerly scans its content. Tears come to her eyes as she comes to the end of it. She falls to her knees as the letter slips out of her hands, and sobs.

 _Melissa,_

 _After hearing your beautiful music, and after you so modestly stated that it would take months for you to perfect the music, I told myself that I would get you a piano. After conversing with Masaomi and the others, we pulled together to buy you one._

 _When you announced that you were moving out, I was required to change the shipping address and had it brought here once we decided where you would stay. I am well aware that it's not a grand piano, but we couldn't find a place large enough and affordable enough for a piano of that size. I hope that an upright will do._

 _I have provided the songbook which I had asked you to play for me. If you wish to thank me, please learn how to play that song; that in itself will be gratitude enough._

 _We all care for you, and I think you know that by now. Please know that you are forever in our thoughts and in our hearts._

 _Sincerely yours,_

 _Natsume Asahina._

THE END

* * *

 **Aaaaand... It's over! What did you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts (please don't be too mad).**

 **Thank you to all of my amazingly dedicated fans who stuck with me and reviewed until the end. It means a lot to me that I had your interest. And if you think it's done for good... Stay tuned ;)**

 **Review and favorite *-***

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


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